Are there any black managers? Do they even exist? Do they get a chance?
I don't even want to research and give the official number of black managers in ALL of European football. It would be too depressing to put it out on a disputable MATHEMATICAL number. So when the very few make it through, it's sad that they are under so much pressure to do well, but that is the very case with the VERY famous "second-man" face on the bench of Chris Ramsey.
So coming into this job is not easy at all. One of THE hardest challenges in football is fighting relegation on a team that has a love affair with losing. For Chris, there is just so much that he has to fight with.
Galvanising the spirit of a team, avoid relegation and being the ONLY black premiership manager. Spare a thought for out good friend, as the spotlight is going to be firmly on him. And if he fails and they get relegated, won't it be so easy to say that black managers don't have the "tactical mind" to coach?
There is a wider issue here. That is with Ramsey's appointment, we again have to address how there are so few black managers in ALL of football. This is the same sport where some of the great players are black, and a lot of the best coaches also happen to the ex-players. Why oh why are a lot of these ex-players not given opportunities? Because there have been SOME HORRENDOUS coaches who have been given several opportunities. For goodness sake, how the hell is Blanc given any chance or what about Allegri?
I cannot believe how Seedorf was not given more of a chance at Milan. We now see how hard Inzaghi is finding it, and I am sorry, being objective, Seedorf could have done a better job to make them compete a lot better than they are now.It just seems that blacks are not given the greater degree to fail that other coaches are given. And I think the problem will only get worse if there are so few black managers that are around, because as soon as one fails, then that door they can poke their head through gets smaller and smaller.
In short, I really do hope Ramsey succeeds in his post. The sad reality is if he does not keep QPR up, blacks just won't be given that many opportunities which is stupid, unfair and TOTALLY wrong. However if he can somehow produce a miracle with the dire situation QPR are in, then who knows...but with how racist football is institutionally, I just don't "have hope" in there being a great influx of managers of my skin shade.
HH
