England manager Gareth Southgate calls for end of white privilege in football

England national football team manager Gareth Southgate has urged people to break their silence against the hite privilege that is prevalent in the sport, particularly in the UK. There have been waves of protest across the world against the killing of an American national named George Floyd under the garb of racism by a police officer in Minneapolis. Several football stars have been speaking up against racial injustice in recent weeks, with England national football team boss Gareth Southgate also joining the chorus. 

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Racism in football: Gareth Southgate speaks in support of Black Lives Matter movement

England national football team manager Gareth Southgate claimed that the 'attempt to stop the progress of black coaches and executives is the biggest crime in football'. He asserted that the Football Association is working in the direction of introducing representation for people irrespective of race and gender. Gareth Southgate stated that the journey to change isn’t easy but movements like Black Lives Matter are the spark to introducing change in society.

Black Lives Matter: Raheem Sterling speaks on racism in football

Earlier, Man City forward Raheem Sterling questioned the racism prevalent in English football. The England international was quizzed on how the likes of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard received high-profile manager jobs at top clubs, while the likes of Ashley Cole and Sol Campbell could not make it. Sterling hit out at the lack of representation of BAME people in the higher hierarchy of English football.

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Black Lives Matter: Likes of Campbell, Cole couldn't make it to the top

Steven Gerrard was appointed as the manager of Rangers after a brief stint with the Liverpool academy, while Frank Lampard got a job at Derby within a year of his retirement and later took charge at Chelsea after the departure of Antonio Conte to Inter Milan. Sterling took the example of Lampard and Gerrard and stated that the likes of Ashley Cole and Sol Campbell, who have been retired for some time, haven't found jobs since. Sol Campbell also spoke out against the prejudice that he faced during his attempts to secure a position at higher levels. Campbell has managed the likes of Macclesfield and Southend but could not use them as a stepping stone to bigger clubs.

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Gareth Southgate admits he witnessed racism in football

England national football team manager Gareth Southgate admitted that his awareness regarding white privilege went on increasing as he grew older, claiming that he had the first-hand experience of the same. He was appointed as the manager of Middlesbrough shortly after he hung up his boots in 2006, despite not having a UEFA Pro license. He accepted that he wasn't qualified for the top job, but attributed his appointment to his relationship with the owner of the club. 

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Image credit: AP