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Opinion

Former Sunderland star says racism is preventing him becoming a Manager

7 years ago
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Former Sunderland striker Dwight Yorke, has claimed that the colour of his skin is preventing him getting a management job at the upper levels of English football.

The one-time Sunderland star (2007-09) claims ‘you are doing all your coaching, all your badge, but when it comes to getting a job, you are not even getting an interview’.

The player hinting at a reason closer to the truth when he reveals he’s applied for the manager’s job at Aston Villa a number of times in recent seasons.

Whilst there will undoubtedly still be racism within certain football clubs, just as there is in society in general, the fact that Dwight Yorke has absolutely no experience of managing at any level so far, as well as very minimal experience of being part of a coaching team, is surely the biggest factor.

Yorke was appointed assistant manager for Trinidad and Tobago in September 2009 for a very short period but nothing since. Rather than being amazed at not getting an interview/job, it would be truly amazing if Dwight Yorke was seriously considered for any management post in the Premier League or Championship.

Chris Hughton and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink are two black managers currently  competing with Villa in the Championship and their background (the same as many other managers, whether black or otherwise) surely points the way to Dwight Yorke, if he is serious about putting in any kind of graft rather than expecting to walk into a top job with virtually no coaching/management CV.

Hughton spent 14 years at Tottenham as part of the backroom staff and worked at pretty much every job from coaching kids, coaching the reserves and so on. Ending up at Newcastle, it was only through total chaos at the club and Keegan being forced out, when he got his chance as a manager and grabbed the opportunity with both hands.

Likewise, Hasselbaink did some coaching with non-league Woking, then worked with the kids at Chelsea and at the ‘Nike Academy’, before going on to coach at Forest. His first management chance then coming in the Belgian second tier with Royal Antwerp.

Dwight Yorke should maybe try these routes of sheer hard work and dedication first, before he next claims to have a hard luck story.

Dwight Yorke talking to beIN Sports:

“I’m still looking to get into it (management).

“I’ve done all the coaching badges at St George’s and the one thing I find very difficult, let alone get a job, is to even get an interview. I’m finding it very, very difficult at the moment.

“Yes, you are doing all your coaching, all your badges, but then when it comes to getting a job, you are not even getting an interview.

“It’s all about who you know as well, that has to play a role.

“Despite all my experience of being a player, I’ve never had the experience of being a manager which is a different concept from being a coach.

 “I think there is a bit of both (lack of managerial experience and racism preventing him getting a manager’s job) there. I genuinely think there’s a bit of both.

“It has often been discussed, no one has really taken it up…but I do have a tendency when I speak to everybody, certainly black players who are trying to break into managerial department are coming up against the same concept because of your race.

“You keep constantly hitting a wall, keep constantly not getting anywhere and even with all the noises that I’ve made, I’ve even tried to get in at Aston Villa.

“What I’m saying is that it would have been nice to just have your thoughts heard, OK maybe you will never get a chance to be a manager but it would be nice to go in there, present yourself, get to know that person and them to say, ‘OK Dwight, we like you, but you are not experienced enough. Go away and do this or do that’.”

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