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Chris Ramsey thinks shortage of BAME coaches is linked to boardroom diversity

BARNET, ENGLAND - JULY 22:  Chris Ramsey, the QPR manager shouts instructions during the pre season friendly match between Queens Park Rangers and Dundee U
Image: Chris Ramsey has seen a growth in the number of qualified BAME coaches

Greater diversity in boardrooms is the key to increasing the number of black managers in English football, says QPR technical director Chris Ramsey.

Brighton's Chris Hughton, Carlisle United's Keith Curle and Grimbsy Town's Marcus Bignot are currently the only non-white managers among the 92 league clubs in English football.

Carlisle United manager Keith Curle
Image: Keith Curle has spent two-and-a-half years as Carlisle manager

Furthermore, a study by the Sports People's Think Tank last year found that only one in 25 managers, assistant managers and senior coaches in the professional ranks are non-white.

Last summer the Football League - under the stewardship of current FA chairman Greg Clarke - approved a series proposals designed to tackle the under-representation of Black and Minority Ethnic [BAME] managers across the game.

Marcus Bignot has been appointed as Grimsby boss
Image: Marcus Bignot landed Grimsby job last November

Clubs must now interview a BAME candidate for any academy role requiring a UEFA A or UEFA B coaching badge, should they receive an application.

"It's unfortunate that there are not more BAME coaches," Ramsey told Sky Sports.

"But there is now a bigger cohort of people with their badges now putting themselves forward where they can actually be legitimately considered from a qualifications point of view.

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Academy coach Manisha Tailor delivers a coaching session alongside Ramsey at QPR

"The problem is the subjective point of view when people get jobs due to their profile or the obvious nepotism.

"But equally it's also important that we don't have tokenism either because that would take us backwards. Diversity in the boardroom is also very, very important and until we start going in the right direction with that the situation will stay as it is."

Brighton boss Chris Hughton met Sky Sports' Ian Holloway in an exclusive interview for EFL title sponsor Sky Bet
Image: Chris Hughton was named Coach of the Year at BEDSA awards in London

Ramsey was speaking at the Lycamobile British Ethnic Diversity Sports Awards [BEDSAs] where he collected the England Athletics Coach of the Year award on behalf of Brighton manager Chris Hughton.

The Brighton boss beat off competition from England cricket coach Ottis Gibson and Boccia coach Sunil Birdy to land the award, and Ramsey says Hughton is fully deserving off the accolade.

"Chris has been in the [coaching] system for 17 years now and was also the first ethnic minority player to play for Ireland," Ramsey said.

Chris Ramsey QPR
Image: Ramsey insists Hughton is one of football's nice guys

"I'm so pleased for him particularly after all the time he has spent in the background. His story reminds me of the film Hidden Figures and he's come to the front now.

"He is someone who always has time for people and that is something to be celebrated as well, along with his achievements as a football manager.

"He deserves everything good that has come his way and I am rooting for him to get Brighton promoted this year."

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