Thursday 2 August 2018 23:00, UK
Robert Earnshaw believes Darren Moore's appointment at West Brom has sent the right message over the issue of Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) managers in football.
Moore will be at the helm when West Brom start their Championship campaign at home to Bolton on Saturday after narrowly failing to keep them in the Premier League.
The former Jamaica defender is one of only six BAME managers in the top four divisions in England, according to the League Managers Association website.
The others are Chris Hughton (Brighton), Nuno Espirito Santo (Wolves), Jos Luhukay (Sheffield Wednesday), Chris Powell (Southend) and Dino Maamria (Stevenage), meaning only 6.52 per cent of managers are BAME individuals.
"It's important to have black managers and guys from ethnic backgrounds doing well because football has to evolve," former Wales striker Earnshaw said.
"Things will change, but we have to help that process so people are more aware of its importance.
"It's not just going to happen if we wait for it. People have to be given a chance and I think Darren is a great example to others.
"He is a coach who has been in the background for a while and now he's been thrown in at the deep end, but he'll do a great job wherever he goes."
Moore was put in temporary charge at The Hawthorns in April after Tony Pulis and Alan Pardew had both departed in the space of four months.
West Brom were 10 points from Premier League safety at the time, but Moore lost only once in six games and the 44-year-old was named manager of the month.
Albion beat Manchester United and Tottenham and drew with Liverpool before relegation was confirmed in the final week of the season. Moore was put in full-time charge in May.
"I know Darren very well and the blessing in West Brom's relegation was him getting the job," Earnshaw said of his former Albion team-mate.
"In one respect the club were obviously devastated about going down, but at the same time they can now go back to basics.
"I think he deserves it and before he was officially appointed I was urging them to give him the job full time.
"When they did it I was very happy and he can take West Brom back up, 100 per cent."
