ETHNIC MINORITIES AS SPORTS COACHES

Headline news this week was the absence of ethnic minorities, and to a lesser degree, women, as sports coaches. It would seem that we have long since got over the issue of the nationality of those who play for our football teams across the country, as long as they play well enough to satisfy the fans’ lust for supremacy over rival teams. It would seem though, as all the fuss would lead us to believe, that when it comes to coaching activity the opportunities for these sporting heroes to show their mettle are very thin on the ground, if not virtually non-existent.

When it comes to selection there have naturally been calls, by the politically correct brigade, for quotas to be introduced

Were I in a position to influence, which thankfully I am not, the quota system is not something I would favour.

There are some who may think that this is a pretty poor analogy but I feel that the same applies to government, whether or at local or national level. We have for sometime seen similar cries for equity, particularly in relation to the balance of women in power.   

With next year’s elections just over the horizon each party will be battling it out for domination, although if early indicators are anything to go by it will be a close run thing. What is then likely to happen, is that keen to consolidate their tenuous hold on power, they will put their chums in place. In my experience of observing and challenging those in authority what tends to happen is that they surround themselves with sycophants to shore up their own egos.

I maintain my stance on this issue in much the same way; the only thing that should matter is that the best person for the job is chosen. We currently have a coalition government at national level and as we get closer to next May so we will begin to see the cosy pact they want us to believe previously existed unravel faster than you can pull at a loose thread on a sweater.

What should happen for whoever holds the balance of power is that those charged with holding high office, making key life changing decisions on behalf of those who voted them in, is that they should put their fears aside and go all out to find the very best person for the job regardless of their political allegiance. That way I believe we will get a better more equitable government. This is something that in the coming months we will all need to consider as we make up our minds about who will be best able to represent us.

At a local level there are already some authorities, albeit in the minority, that operate in this way; from the limited information I have gleaned it has had no adverse effect on their performance. Rather, were I in a position to take decisions about such appointments, I would fully expect to reap the rewards of having chosen well. Perhaps it is for this reason, when asked to participate in selection interviews for high ranking positions, I feel quite able to take some credit for the outcome. I may not be able to do their job, but I like to think that given the right assessment criteria, I can pick the best man, or woman, regardless of their ethnic origin.