Nigerian-born former Chelsea and West Ham United of England striker, Carlton Okorie Cole has added his voice to the search for improved balance among varying races and less prominence of diversity within the global football sector.
Speaking against the backdrop of recent cases of racism in the round leather game across the world Cole called for an introduction of ‘The Rooney Rule’ to help improve diversity within the game’s high-profile jobs.
Megasportsarena.com learnt that the rule, which was named after the NFL diversity committee chairman, Dan Rooney, requires clubs to interview ethnic minority candidates, and Cole is of a view that it might be the only way in for people from a BAME background to be respected and considered for pivotal jobs.
The lower level of football in England made it policy last year that clubs must interview at least one BAME candidate when searching for a new first-team manager, but Cole pointed out that officials of the English Premier League are yet to introduce a similar policy.
Cole told Sky Sports: “We might have to just take that and then prove ourselves to make sure that we are looked at in a serious way and we can do a good job. We need some evidence of us being able to do it. I mean the whole footballing community moving in the same direction.
“I don’t mean us as black, I mean us as white, black, whoever’s involved in football – to say there is evidence now to say this can happen. If the Rooney Rule is the only way that we can actually get in front of an owner so we can convince him I am the right man for the job, then so be it.”
