Lack of diversity in the FA?

[SugarRay]

Rio 'choc ice' Ferdinand being appointed is a huge relief for us all I imagine...

Got to laugh ain't ya!?

 

[PeeEyeEmPee]

Oh FFS. I'm enough with all the crying racist Bullshit now. Really.

you do realise that pointing out a lack of inclusion and diversity isn't the same as "crying racism" now don't you?

 

[Geyzer Soze]

you do realise that pointing out a lack of inclusion and diversity isn't the same as "crying racism" now don't you?

No, I don't

 

[Mouse!]

Rio "Act like I know what i'm talking about on twitter so I can get a job as a pundit in a few years" Ferdinand is on the commission? Dear God.

Ledley would have been a way better shout. Instead we have a drugs cheat?

 

[dagraham]

Rio "Act like I know what i'm talking about on twitter so I can get a job as a pundit in a few years" Ferdinand is on the commission? Dear God.

Ledley would have been a way better shout. Instead we have a drugs cheat?

Druggist

 

[LSUY]

Slag off Rabbatts as much as you like and for whatever reasons
it doesn't mean that she is wrong about lack of diversity in the FA commission.
I'm not aware that her pitch (sorry) was on her own behalf.
It's an own goal(sorry)by Greg Dyke and another by Roy.
With a little awareness and sensitivity both could have been avoided.
Strange how the best people are all white in these cases.
Until such appointments produce a balanced representation
of the multi cultural society in which we live
people including me will cry 'foul' (sorry).
I'm not holding my breath.

So the FA should select a commission with ethnic minorities and gender equality in mind rather than who is the best person to help the commission achieve its aims?

This FA commission is supposed to be tackling specific issues that is hurting the development of English footballers, not worrying about racial demographics (can't that be left to another commission?). Aside from Danny Mills and Rio Ferdinand everyone on the commission is well placed to provide insight on and deal with these issues. You have the chairman of four of the five biggest organisations in English football (if Clarke Carlisle stayed on as the PFA chairman then he would have been on the commission). It has the FA Vice-Chairman who is the representative of the amateur game in the country, the current England manager, an ex-England international and manager who runs a football academy to help young players get back into pro footballer and a Director of Academy at one of the most successful academies in the lower leagues. I'd imagine Dario Gradi has forgotten more about developing young footballers than Rio has ever known. Apart from a representative of the Premier League who else should be on the commission?

 

[dontcallme]

The FA is lacking diversity and not just racial.

It's all well and good saying the best man should get the job but that doesn't necessarily make up the strongest whole.

The appointment of the England manager has been uninspiring time after time and they either throw a lot of money at a foreigner or hire a yes man with an average record.

They need different voices in there. People who understand modern football and the mindset of the modern player.

 

[UncleBuck]

I am not against positive discrimination sadly it is so often all too necessary but this women has made a career on it and the Campbell example given is just pathetic that really would be tokenism of the most ineffectual kind to have someone like him for example.

Sorry pal but 'positive discrimination' is a total folly! How can it be seem to be 'positive' to pick someone based purely on the colour of their skin over ability in todays world?
This is where so many people have got it wrong and leave the rest of the country shaking their head in disbelief at the sheer stupidity of this 'modern' world we all live in.

 

[dontcallme]

Sorry pal but 'positive discrimination' is a total folly! How can it be seem to be 'positive' to pick someone based purely on the colour of their skin over ability in todays world?
This is where so many people have got it wrong and leave the rest of the country shaking their head in disbelief at the sheer stupidity of this 'modern' world we all live in.

Really depends on the situation.

A classic example is the police. A lot of people are suspicious of the police but they are vital to any community.

A woman who has been raped often prefers to be questioned by a female officer.

Many people of different ethnic backgrounds or are from different countries feel like they can't go to the police so in these situations it is useful to have a multi-cultural police force especially people who can speak foreign langauge.

If the downside is a few white guys who did well in a test don't get the job then so be it. The whole is more important than the individual.

How relevant a diverse FA is I'm not so sure. It does feel like an old boys' club and it doesn't feel like they are moving with the times.

 

[Danners9]

The FA is lacking diversity and not just racial.

It's all well and good saying the best man should get the job but that doesn't necessarily make up the strongest whole.

The appointment of the England manager has been uninspiring time after time and they either throw a lot of money at a foreigner or hire a yes man with an average record.

They need different voices in there. People who understand modern football and the mindset of the modern player.

The last line is the most relevant. They shouldn't be an organisation that bends to quotas or dishes out jobs to mates in the old boys network but should be a dynamic and forward-thinking group, regardless of race or colour or whatever else. Some younger, more recently-qualified people with new ideas.

If they could change, the issue of diversity might solve itself.

 

[dontcallme]

The last line is the most relevant. They shouldn't be an organisation that bends to quotas or dishes out jobs to mates in the old boys network but should be a dynamic and forward-thinking group, regardless of race or colour or whatever else. Some younger, more recently-qualified people with new ideas.

If they could change, the issue of diversity might solve itself.

I agree.

Like I said in my last post I'm not sure how if the FA requires a high level of multi-cultural board members but it does need to move with the times.

Positive discrimination is vital in other areas though.

 

[Azazello]

I agree.

Like I said in my last post I'm not sure how if the FA requires a high level of multi-cultural board members but it does need to move with the times.

Positive discrimination is vital in other areas though.

Like what? Why do you advocate discrimination? Would you favour discrimination on the basis of political beliefs? Who gets to decide who is discriminated against?

 

[dontcallme]

Like what? Why do you advocate discrimination? Would you favour discrimination on the basis of political beliefs? Who gets to decide who is discriminated against?

As in my previous post, the police is one area where people need to feel represented.

 

[UncleBuck]

Are you saying that their is noone of an ethnic minority
qualified to be on a football commission?
Nobody as, if not more, qualified than Danny Mills?

For those of you wondering why Danny Mills was selected he actually contacted Greg Dyke and raised concerns about youth football, where he felt things were going wrong and what should be done To improve youth football. Accordingly it was almost like a business plan, naturally Greg Dyke was impressed and invited him onto the committee.
That's an ex pro showing a bit of creativity, any ex pro could have done that, it just so happens it was mills.
Now for me that's 'positive', not asking Ferdinand to be on a panel at the 25th hour as it smacks of pandering to a woman who quite clearly has issues....

 

[Spurs 1961]

This whole commission thing is huge, unworkable, it's all smoke and mirrors. Everyone has already said what they want to see there will be nothing new. Dyke should have just kept consulting people or employed one person to consult widely and put together a report. Committees are a waste of time. Dyke is getting this all wrong...but then it is the dinosaur FA. What they need are more monkeys to get results

 

[JimmyG2]

So the FA should select a commission with ethnic minorities and gender equality in mind rather than who is the best person to help the commission achieve its aims?

This FA commission is supposed to be tackling specific issues that is hurting the development of English footballers, not worrying about racial demographics (can't that be left to another commission?). Aside from Danny Mills and Rio Ferdinand everyone on the commission is well placed to provide insight on and deal with these issues. You have the chairman of four of the five biggest organisations in English football (if Clarke Carlisle stayed on as the PFA chairman then he would have been on the commission). It has the FA Vice-Chairman who is the representative of the amateur game in the country, the current England manager, an ex-England international and manager who runs a football academy to help young players get back into pro footballer and a Director of Academy at one of the most successful academies in the lower leagues. I'd imagine Dario Gradi has forgotten more about developing young footballers than Rio has ever known. Apart from a representative of the Premier League who else should be on the commission?

If your convinced that the original eight members are the best eight from within the football world to consider the development of the game then fine.
That they all happen to be white males in a multi racial game within a multi racial country
is just a coincidence obviously.
Chris Hughton might have been a good choice but perhaps he is too busy and turned it down.
It's a glaring oversight to me not to take the opportunity to spread the experience and expertise
but I don't think that we are going to convince each other.

 

[Geyzer Soze]

I agree.

Like I said in my last post I'm not sure how if the FA requires a high level of multi-cultural board members but it does need to move with the times.

Positive discrimination is vital in other areas though.

Discrimination is discrimination, friend. No matter what adjective you put in front of it

 

[dontcallme]

Discrimination is discrimination, friend. No matter what adjective you put in front of it

So you don't think it is important for the police to be representative of the people?

 

[Geyzer Soze]

So you don't think it is important for the police to be representative of the people?

Not if it's contrived to be so by use of discrimination, no.

 

[JimmyG2]

Sorry pal but 'positive discrimination' is a total folly! How can it be seem to be 'positive' to pick someone based purely on the colour of their skin over ability in todays world?
This is where so many people have got it wrong and leave the rest of the country shaking their head in disbelief at the sheer stupidity of this 'modern' world we all live in.

You wouldn't pick someone purely for the colour of their skin.
That would be stupid and indeed offensive.
You would widen the the scope and input of the Commission
by choosing someone of standing within the football community,
who could add the racial perspective.
I'm sure a case could be made for all the white males appointed
but it's probably a casual sin of omission rather than an evil KKK plot.
That's the nature of most of the racism in this country.
Its implicit rather than overt.
It's not stupid to be sensitive to the sensitivities and expectations of others.
Its the sign of a civilised modern society.