Les Ferdinand: QPR director of football 'wishes' FA Diversity Code was mandatory

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Image caption, Ferdinand (right) was appointed director of football at QPR in 2014, have previously spent eight years at the club as a player
  • Author, Alex Howell
  • Role, 大象传媒 Sport

Queens Park Rangers' director of football Les Ferdinand says he "wishes" the Football Association's Football Leadership Diversity Code was mandatory, not voluntary.

The Diversity Code was set up with the aim of tackling racial inequality in the English game.

It was launched in October after a five-month consultation period and leading players from the men's and women's game were asked for their views.

At present, only five of the 92 Premier League and English Football League (EFL) managers or head coaches are BAME.

Former England international Ferdinand does not think it is enough.

"I've had a chance to look at it and it's a voluntary code," he said. "I've come out and said already that I wished it was a mandatory code.

"I understand the strides that the FA are taking and they're trying to do something about the situation.

"But I've said all along if it's voluntary, what's the repercussions if people do not follow the guidelines or do not adhere to the guidelines? There's no repercussions at the moment. Is this just another gesture? That's my take on it.

"It needs to be something that people are held accountable for. If they're not going to be held accountable then there's no need for them to follow the code.

"I want to see something in place that means that if you do not follow this code, there's going to be some repercussions for your organisation. That's the only way it is going to work. That's the only way we're going to force change."

Nineteen of the 20 Premier League clubs have agreed to the voluntary code so far, with Southampton the only exception.

The Saints say they are "wholly supportive" of the code's objectives but are waiting to see how it fits in with the Premier League's own Advanced Equality Standard before revising their recruitment processes, which they say are the culmination of a "five-year equality and diversity journey".

More than 40 clubs have signed up in total, including sides from the EFL, Women's Super League and Women's Championship.

In doing so, the clubs agree that:

  • 15% of new executive appointments will be from a BAME background, with 30% female.
  • 25% of new coaching appointments will be BAME and 10% of senior coaching appointments.
  • 50% of new coaching appointments at women's football clubs will be female, with 15% BAME.
  • Shortlists for interview will have at least one male and one female BAME candidate, provided applicants meeting the job specifications apply.

The former QPR, Newcastle and Tottenham striker also ruled himself out of applying for the vacant FA chairman's role after the resignation of Greg Clarke, earlier this month.

"It's not a role I want to be involved in right now. I'd like to see a former player or someone who just understands the concept of diversity and what's needed in the FA.

"If you have your leading light, which is the FA, that's meant to be the example and you haven't got any diversity in that organisation, it's very very difficult for them to push programmes out to filter it down the footballing chain."