Johnson: "The only way we are going to get more diversity in management and leadership positions is if we create some kind of target"
Tuesday 7 July 2020 06:30, UK
Former Derby and Birmingham midfielder Michael Johnson says the only way to address the lack of BAME representation in management and boardroom positions is to set targets which have to be achieved.
Johnson pointed to the example of the Davies Review, which successfully tackled the lack of women on the boards of FTSE 100 companies.
The 46-year-old, who is currently on the England U21 coaching staff, wants to see similar proactive action to ensure coaching staffs and boardrooms are more representative.
"The football field reflects the diverse UK but we are lacking so much upstairs," he told Sky Sports.
"The recruitment process in football needs looking at, so you get the correct candidates.
"The only way we are going to get more diversity in management and leadership positions is if we create some kind of target like Lord Davies did with the FTSE 100 companies, when he recommended all boards should have a certain percentage of women.
"That is drastic action and it was needed
"It's the same thing for people of ethnicity now - we need dome drastic action, whether that is a code that says all clubs need to hit this target by this year.
"That would get people of a diverse background into your leadership teams.
"You need some form of legislation, because we have seen over the decades, it has not moved."
Johnson has one Masters degree in sporting directorship and also a UEFA-accredited Masters for international players, meaning he is well-qualified for a potential job as a sporting director at a club.
"I have to behave in a completely different way than someone who is white and trying to be a sporting director, because the opportunities are more open for them than possibly me," he said.
"The game might be difficult for you to get to where you should get to, based on your qualifications.
"There is something else that is blocking it - and we all know."
