Football Black List 2015 Revealed…

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Football’s Black List has been published in The Voice Newspaper

If you haven’t already grabbed a copy of The Voice Newspaper this week – here is the Football Black List 2015!

 

The Football Black List is an initiative celebrating the contribution of African and Caribbean communities in the UK to football. However, this is not a celebration of the best footballers – instead, it highlights those achieving away from the pitch. The administrators in the boardrooms, the journalists, the coaches and managers, our leaders working at grassroots level and in the community.

 

This initiative shines a light on many unsung heroes who are very much pioneers in an industry where the black community is hugely under-represented in every area of the game – away from those playing.

 

Congratulations to all those who made the list this year. Every year more and more contenders are considered, which goes to show that progress is being made.

 

 

Before the complaints come in – and in the past, I have received many – although I am a founder of the initiative this list is always decided by a panel. In 2015, The Voice Newspaper’s sport department got together to make a call on who made it in…

 

For full breakdown on why each person made the list please check out The Voice Newspaper.

 

BLACK LIST 2015

 

MEDIA

Stephen Lyle, Commissioning Editor for Sport, Channel 4

Stan Collymore, Broadcaster – TalkSport

Jessica Creighton, Presenter – BBC Sport 

Adrian Kajumba, Football Writer – Daily Mirror

Keme Nzerem, Sports News Correspondent, Channel 4

 

ADMINISTRATION

Les Ferdinand MBE, Director of Football, QPR FC

Michael Emenalo, Technical Director – Chelsea FC

Heather Rabbatts CBE, Chair of FA Inclusion Advisory Board – The FA

Nathan Blake, Director of Football, Newport County

Bobby Barnes, Deputy Chief Executive, PFA

 

COACHING AND MANAGEMENT

Chris Ramsey, Head Coach – QPR FC

Chris Hughton, Manager, Brighton and Hove Albion

Chris Powell, Manager – Huddersfield

Jimmy Floyd Hasslebaink, Manager – Burton Albion

Keith Curle, Manager – Carlisle United

 

COMMERCIAL

Aidy Ward, Football Advisor

Mariame Diakite, Football Advisor

Wayne Lindsay, Football Advisor

Pete Smith, Football Agent

Udo Onwere, Lawyer

 

COMMUNITY

Donald Forde, Head of Crystal Palace Foundation

Lord Ouseley, Chairman – Kick It Out

Darren Smith, Development Officer, London FA

Jason Roberts, Founder – The Sports People’s Think Tank

Richard Allicock, Youth engagement officer, Tottenham Hotspur Foundation

 

PLAYERS

Yaya Toure, Manchester City and Ivory Coast

Carlton Cole, West Ham United and England

Didier Drogba, Chelsea and Ivory Coast

Rio Ferdinand, QPR and England

Eni Aluko, Chelsea Ladies and England

 

 

 

Football’s Black List 2015 is nearly here…

Black List Awards 2010

Football’s Black List celebrates achievement and offers inspiration

Football’s Black List will be published by The Voice Newspaper tomorrow.

 

The initiative pays tribute to members of African and Caribbean communities in the UK for their contribution to the game.

 

The list is not about achievement on the field as players – instead, it is about what happens off the pitch; in the boardrooms, dugouts, across the media, at grassroots level and in our communities.

 

The initiative is not about creating further segregation in society – or football. It’s aim is to highlight role models and encourage members from a massively under represented community to get involved in all areas of football – away from the pitch.

 

On the field more than 25% of professional footballers are black, so the community is therefore over represented and “accepted” as athletes. But off the field, it is a very different story…

 

  • In November 2014, the Sports People’s Think Tank report found just 19 BAME coaches in the top 552 positions
  • Less than 1% of all governance and senior administration positions at governing bodies and clubs in England are held by staff from BAME backgrounds
  • Not one black sports journalist went to the World Cup in Brazil last year with a mainstream national newspaper
  • In broadcasting, just one black sports presenter was involved across all major sporting events last summer in the UK

 

I could go on…

 

The Black List is a response to this ongoing situation and hopefully helps to build knowledge about different jobs in the game, while giving due respect and praise to pioneers in the various other areas of football.

 

To understand why a list celebrating black people is needed, it is essential to acknowledge a history where African and Caribbean communities have been racially abused, marginalised and purposefully excluded from society – and football. It wasn’t easy for black players, and it certainly hasn’t been easy in other areas of the game either.

 

Some have called the initiative counter productive, as they believe it encourages segregation and separatism. I strongly disagree. I founded this initiative – with Rodney Hinds from The Voice – to do the very opposite. As it challenges the lack of diversity in the football industry by promoting diverse people in roles where many within our communities may feel unwelcome.

 

Football’s Black List is a proactive initiative that aims to highlight achievement, educate and inspire.

 

For further reading on the initiative check out the following links:

http://www.farenet.org/news/english-footballs-black-list-achievers/

http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2009/aug/10/black-list-voice-football

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7305569.stm

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/daily-mirror-reporter-darren-lewis-3349772

 

 

Celebrating Caribbean Communities Contribution To Football

CARIB-BRIT XI TEAM LINE UP

CARIBBRITXI: Celebrating British players with Caribbean roots

I could not resist. After BritJam and AfriBrit I had to put together a CaribBrit team – and I can already hear the groans about my team selection.

 

The truth is there are just so many British players with Caribbean roots – I could have picked five teams. No doubt, you are already scribbling down an eleven you believe would be far stronger than mine. If so, I am pleased the initiative has got you thinking about players backgrounds and achievements.

 

But as I have always stressed, as well as being a bit of fun, these teams are not about celebrating individuals. These teams are about recognizing communities.

 

Every single player in these teams represents the success of ethnic minority families and communities. The subject matter in this case is football – but it could easily be a list of doctors, lawyers, educationalist, engineers and so forth.

 

Being involved in Andrew Cole’s ITV Sports Life story reminded me that behind every success story there is often a struggle. His father came to the UK and worked as a miner to support his family. That support enabled Andrew to go on to achieve great things. It was essential to tell the nation about his father’s experience of racism and his dedication to supporting his family within the documentary, to help people understand what communities went through, and continue to do so.

 

Jermain Defoe is another I know who has benefited from the support of his family – his mother in particular – and unquestionably, every one of the players in the Carib-Brit and Afri-Brit squads will have had to overcome their own challenges.

 

Let us never forget to thank those who fought for the opportunities we have today.

 

 – Disagree with my team selection? Tweet me @Leon_Mann and I’ll get back to you!

 

 

Celebrating British Players’ African Roots

AFRI-BRIT XI TEAM LINE UP HI RES

A celebration of British players with African roots

African communities in the UK love their football and have made a big contribution to the game over the years. So I came up with a tribute that unearthed a few surprises.

 

AFRI-BRIT is a simple concept. Essentially, it is a team of current British players with African roots. Researching and picking my squad was a lot of fun and I hope it will open up debates and lead to some reflection.

 

Allegiances to one nationality can be ferocious at times, and as a result it can be difficult for players to celebrate a more complex identity. But in a truly multicultural society that strikes me as totally unreasonable. For example, could an England player be seen wearing a Ghana shirt to cheer on his mother’s country? I say – why not. So I decided to put AFRI-BRIT out there.

 

First off – what an incredible team. Even if my formation leaves the defence a little exposed (*cough!), I don’t think I would have any trouble filling a Premier League ground to watch these ballers do their thing. This is testament to the growing numbers of players from African communities coming through in the UK.

 

I have to confess that I was a little worried about finding a keeper, but a tweet asking for help was met within seconds by the great folk at Africa Football Shop. Wolves’ Carl Ikeme – who has Nigerian roots – soon took the number 1 jersey. A fellow tweeter even delivered a sub keeper in Rochdale youngster, Jonathan Diba Masunga.

 

The midfield and front line offered up an embarrassment of riches. Welbeck, Berahino, Agbonlahor, Cole, Anichebe, Aluko, Bolasie, Zaha, Ibe… I could go on.

 

Where I did get creative was in the centre of midfield. I had been told that England’s Ross Barkley has Nigerian roots – so for me, he had to go in. What I unexpectedly stumbled upon was Leon Osman’s eligibility. According to the internet – his grandfather is Somali. And having grown up playing with many, many hugely talented Somali players, in North London, I know those guys can play!!

 

But the thing is, I know that I will have missed a few gems – such is the vast array of talent coming through. African communities in the UK are making huge contributions to our society. We rarely acknowledge this – let alone celebrate it. Football presents the perfect opportunity to right that wrong.

Getting To Know The Real Andrew Cole

ANDY COLE AND LEON MANN

GOAL-KING COLE! On set with Andrew Cole after our ITV Sports Life Story interview

Andrew Cole has been called many things in his life. Andy, finisher, poacher, winner and goal king are up there. But so are moody, difficult, arrogant and problematic.

 

The Manchester United legend didn’t do much media as a player, so away from the pitch we have never got to know him. Like others, such as United teammate Paul Scholes, he decided he would do his talking on the pitch.

 

And if that was all he was judged on – playing football – he would be regarded as highly as Alan Shearer, Thierry Henry, Ian Wright and Dennis Bergkamp. But he isn’t – which doesn’t make much sense when you break down the facts.

 

Andrew Cole is the second highest goalscorer in the history of the Premier League, behind Shearer. But Cole’s goals-per-Premier League-games ratio is actually higher. Cole didn’t take penalties, Shearer did – slotting away 56.

 

So when I was offered the chance to interview Cole, as part of the ITV Sports Life Stories series, I had so much to put to him.

 

He did not disappoint.

 

WATCH THE ANDY COLE SPORTS LIFE STORIES TRAILER

 

Cole was open about all aspects of his career – taking on the most sensitive talking points of his playing days. A lack of recognition as one of the Premier League’s greatest strikers, his beef with Teddy Sheringham, why he never got more of a chance with England, Andrew or Andy, why he failed to get on with a number of his managers… No stone was left unturned.

 

I was just as keen to get beyond the footie chat and see if I could truly get to know Andrew and understand why he decided not to engage with the media like others did – and benefitted as a result.

 

I had the privilege of speaking with his mum, dad, brother, wife and two children. They broke down his enigmatic personality in a way only family can.

 

The Andrew Cole story triggered lots of questions in my mind about how highly players value and understand the media. Can footballers ignore the media and still gain proper recognition? Do players understand, or care, that the public’s perception of them can impact on their career? Why can’t sportspeople be themselves – as inconvenient as that may be for the media at times – and be left alone?

 

Take a butchers. Andrew is ready to talk.

 

– Andy Cole, Sports Life Stories, on ITV 4 at 10pm tonight (10th March 2015)

ANDY COLE AND HEY BUDDY

TEAM WORK: Cole with myself and the production team from Hey Buddy TV – Producer, Shurwin Beckford and Director, Laurence Koe

Leon McKenzie: A Fighter Who Won’t Let His Guard Down

LEON, CLINTON, ME

TEAM MCKENZIE: Leon McKenzie, his father and trainer, Clinton and Leon Mann

 

Leon McKenzie chose football as a young man, outpacing Premier League defences with Crystal Palace and Norwich City, today he is an undefeated professional boxer on the verge of a first title.

 

As I watch Leon thumping the bags in his father’s gym, opposite the changing rooms in the bowels of Dulwich Hamlet Football Club, it is clear why the South Londoner made the grade in two ultra competitive fields. His dad, Clinton McKenzie, a former British and European light welterweight champion, confirms my observations: “Leon’s greatest strength is his heart”, he then pauses and smiles, “…and he whacks! I wouldn’t like to fight him”.

 

FILMING MCKENZIE

Leon is action… captured by PFA TV

On the 14th March at York Hall, the 36 year old will need to use his heart, and head, to take home his first title. Tickets are almost sold out and the venue will be packed with former teammates from his playing days. He is, and has always been, a popular man.

 

Sat opposite the former footballer nicknamed ‘Big McK’, about to start our interview for PFA TV – the Professional Footballers Association online platform, I am nervous. I am not here just to talk boxing and football. Leon’s biggest battle has been with depression – a taboo topic in society, particularly for men.

 

I soon find out the nerves are only in my corner. Leon talks with confidence and calmness. He puts me at such ease, and I begin to question why I was so nervous.

 

Leon is a realist. He tells me he hasn’t necessarily beaten depression – instead, it is about learning how to manage it. He wants to use his experience of the illness to encourage others to come forward to get help. Five years after a suicide attempt, he aims to use the positivity from that came from that situation, to reach out to people who may be struggling.

 

Michael Bennett, Head of Wellbeing at the PFA, says Leon is a great example to someone suffering that there is hope when you decide to seek help.

 

The PFA TV episode will share his story with footballers across the country – and regardless of how things go at York Hall, we know he will keep fighting and not to let his guard down.

 

Diversity Guide Must Be Catalyst For Change In Sports Media

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FINDING SOLUTIONS: Leon Mann, BCOMS founder, opens The D Word conference in 2014

There comes a point when things need to be said to be able to move on. For the Black Collective Of Media in Sport (BCOMS), a network of sports journalists from African and Caribbean backgrounds, that moment has arrived.

 

First the facts.

 

In 2014, not one national newspaper sent a black sports writer to the World Cup. While in TV land, across all of the major sporting events in the summer just one black presenter and one editor were involved. Speaking more broadly – the mainstream press have never had a black sports columnist, who hasn’t played sports at the highest level, and away from specialist newspapers such as The Voice and The Morning Star, there has never been a black sports editor in charge of the back pages.

 

What makes all of the above a bigger deal is the fact that our community is incredibly well represented on the pitch, track and in the ring. It is estimated that 30% of professional footballers are black, while there is also high levels of representation in sports including athletics and boxing.

 

BCOMS response was to hold a national conference looking for solutions to address a disturbing lack of diversity across the sports media. More than 150 delegates attended.

 

The day was a success and thanks to funding from FARE, European football’s anti-discrimination network, BCOMS were able to use the contributions from the day to develop a good practice guide to help the industry deliver greater diversity.

 

The response to the guide has been overwhelmingly positive so far. But my hope is that the guide is not filed away under ‘things to do’ or left with a red flag next to it in an inbox. The sports media must move with urgency to reflect our nation and the interest and participation our community has in sport.

 

Football’s Problem

A black man is racially abused and prevented from getting on Paris Metro by Chelsea fans

Football brings people together. We hear it all the time. I proudly say it on TV a lot – when reporting on the games good causes. But with the good, can also come the bad.

 

Football brought racist thugs together with a black man on the Paris Metro, who was subsequently abused. Therefore, for me, those running the sport must take responsibility for what happened and double their efforts to ensure that the customers coming to deposit money in football’s pockets behave themselves.

– This column first appeared in The Voice Newspaper

Guide Launched To Help Sports Media Tackle Diversity Issues

D WORD OPENING PANEL

IT’S TIME FOR ACTION: Opening panel at D Word conference offer ideas to address lack of diversity in the sports media

The first ever guide to addressing the lack of diversity in the sports media has been launched by the Black Collective Of Media In Sport (BCOMS) – a network of sports journalists from African and Caribbean communities.

 

Funded by FARE, European football’s anti-discrimination and social inclusion network, the D Word guide offers the sports media ideas and action points to help tackle worryingly low levels of diversity across all areas of the industry.

 

YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE D WORD GUIDE HERE – The D Word Guide

 

It also highlights the black community’s experience in the sports media in 2014, where only one presenter and one editor were involved in coverage of the major sports events last summer across mainstream national television channels. Meanwhile in the written press – no black football writer from the national press went to the World Cup.

 

The guide – which covers all areas of diversity – also underlines the fact that there has never been a black sports editor at a newspaper, nor has there been a black sports columnist that has not been a professional athlete at the highest level.

 

The contributions to the guide are taken from a national conference held in London last year – where heads of sports channels, editors, producers, writers and representatives from across the sports media came together to debate and discuss how best to address the lack of diversity in the industry.

 

BCOMS founder and sports journalist, Leon Mann, said: “The black community continues to make a significant impact in sport on the field, track and in the ring, but away from the action the levels of diversity are dire. The same can be said for other groups who contributed to this guide.

 

“The sports media has got better at covering issues of under-representation, but it has needed to have a look at itself in the mirror for sometime. The D Word conference presented that opportunity. Now we hope the D Word guide can help to drive change. The situation as it is, is uncomfortable to say the least and must be addressed.”

 

Notes

  • For further information on BCOMS please click here
  • For more information on FARE please click here

‘Sir Les’ Just The Man For The Job At QPR

Sport On Board

FUTURE LEADERS?: Les Ferdinand alongside fellow On Board graduates in 2014

English football has it’s first black director of football in the shape of Les Ferdinand MBE at QPR – and I’m buzzing about it.

OK there aren’t, and haven’t been, an awful lot of directors of football in the game’s history – but I’m incredibly pleased to finally see the black community represented at this level in the sport’s structures.

Let’s face it, away from our 25 per cent of black players on the pitch we have little or no representation.

This position is far more powerful than sitting in the dugout every Saturday as the manager. It offers genuine power and influence.

It offers an opportunity to create a culture and structure that sees both the team and club (business) flourish and grow. It also offers far more time in the role to make an impact.

And ‘Sir Les’ is just the man for the job. Not because he’s a QPR legend – although that will make it a popular move with the fans – but because he has an understanding of the boardroom and tremendous experience of all aspects of professional football at shop floor level.

Just last year Les graduated from a corporate governance course set up by former Premier League footballers – Jason Roberts MBE, Michael Johnson, Darren Moore, David Barnett – Managing Director of the Governance Forum, Professor Karl George MBE and myself.

Sport On Board, funded by the Professional Footballers’ Association, was designed to offer the industry board candidates who had played the game and were from diverse backgrounds.

On both counts the course had an open goal to aim, as football’s boards are not very diverse. Actually, scrap that – sport’s boards are not very diverse, at all.

A study last year revealed only 14 BAME people across 449 boardroom positions. Meanwhile, there are very few former pros on football’s boards.

However, it would be misleading to suggest Sport On Board got Les the QPR role – it didn’t – but it is worth considering the following?

Did the course offer him added confidence about taking on the position? Maybe.

Did it teach him a set of skills that will help him in the role? Almost certainly.

Did it give him a firm understanding of good governance and decision-making? Absolutely.

Good luck to Les, hopefully he is the first of many Sport On Board graduates to be given an opportunity.

 – This column first appeared in The Voice Newspaper

Feltham Prison Visit

Dragons-in-4K

Google ‘Feltham prison’ and you are likely to be sat in front of your computer screen trawling through endless horror stories. And based on this, you may feel that young offenders serving time should remain locked up – forever.

 

So I wanted to write this blog to share some positivity I found on a visit to Feltham, with an initiative working with young offenders at the prison. I felt it was important to offer a different experience, and some balance, to the majority of stories you will read.

 

But first let me tell you about what I knew about Feltham before the visit. You see, I am from Haringey in north London – and was well aware of the prison long before Google existed. The word Feltham got thrown around a lot in my youth. But interestingly, it was used by many as some kind of badge of honour. To some, having been in Feltham made them untouchable on the streets. It secured their status as people not to mess with. The F word was feared – but for all the wrong reasons. You weren’t a proper ‘bad bwoy’ if you hadn’t been…

 

Despite all of this, as soon as I was asked to take part in a Dragon’s Den event at the prison I jumped at the chance. Why? Curiosity – yes. But mainly because I believe young people deserve a second chance. And I recognise that without the support my parents offered me maybe I would have ended up in trouble, too. Life deals everyone a different hand.

 

Organised by Principles In Finance – a non profit, training organisation that aims to re-integrate the principles of personal financial management into the community – the Dragon’s Den event brought panellists, who had enjoyed successful careers, into the prison to listen to 14 young offenders business ideas. The winner would be given a cash prize to help get their business started while working with Principles In Finance.

 

The event was a real eye opener. The young people presented their ideas in front of 60 fellow young offenders at the prison and delivered their pitches incredibly professionally. They had clearly put a lot of hard work into the initiative. Many of the ideas were themed around creating work for ex-offenders, so the young people could support their families and be more likely to avoid reoffending. They weren’t just thinking about their bank accounts – they wanted to lead a movement.

 

Our panel of Dragon’s held their work in such high regard that instead of rewarding one winner – two fellow panellists kindly donated additional funds so three of the young people had the opportunity to develop their business ideas.

 

As I walked away from the prison I reflected on what I had experienced. These guys wanted to better themselves. These guys weren’t just talking, they were proactively preparing for the next phase of their lives. These guys were committed to change.

 

I did not get the feeling that these young people will treat their time in Feltham as a badge of honour. Instead, I believe and hope – with support and an opportunity – they will put the F word behind them, and use their skills to help others to do so too.

 

I am no expert in working with young offenders, but I saw just how valuable and important Principles In Finance work was in Feltham that day, and am proud to have played a small part in the success of this event.

 

For further information on Principles In Finance please go to – www.principlesinfinance.com