Where are the black players? Campbell blasts FA over new all-white commission

By Mike Dawes

PUBLISHED: 02:25 EST, 11 October 2013 | UPDATED: 02:34 EST, 11 October 2013


Not representative: Former England defender Sol Campbell criticised the all-white make-up of the Football Association Commission set up by Greg Dyke this week

Not representative: Former England defender Sol Campbell criticised the all-white make-up of the Football Association Commission set up by Greg Dyke this week

Former England defender sol Campbell has criticised the ethnic make-up of the Football Association's commission to shape the future direction of the game.

All eight members of the panel, announced by chairman Greg Dyke earlier this week, are white.

Among those chosen are former England manager Glenn Hoddle, former FA technical director Howard Wilkinson and ex-England defender Danny Mills.

But Campbell, who won 73 caps for England during an 11-year international career and played in six major tournaments, believes it should be more representative.

He told BBC Sport: 'I wouldn't mind if they had some black players in there, black players who have actually done something for club and country.

'Football is a diverse game and that should be reflected in the committee.

'There is enough experience there but I wouldn't mind if they looked at other avenues and maybe put some black players in there to mix it about.

'It seems like that's overlooked all the time. I don't know who's whispering in their ears but it seems the same situation keeps cropping up.

'The FA has got to start opening up, spreading its wings and looking at different people from different backgrounds who have done great things for club and country to get the views they need to move on.

'You can't have similar people, similar mindsets, in one committee if you want to expand and find different solutions.'

Respected figure: Campbell won 73 caps for England over an 11-year international career

Respected figure: Campbell won 73 caps for England over an 11-year international career

Jubilation: Campbell celebrates with Michael Owen after scoring his one and only England goal - against Sweden at the 2002 World Cup in Saitama, Japan

Jubilation: Campbell celebrates with Michael Owen after scoring his one and only England goal - against Sweden at the 2002 World Cup in Saitama, Japan

THE FA COMMISSION IN FULL

Glenn Hoddle - England manager 1996-1999
Howard Wilkinson - Former FA technical director
Danny Mills - Former England defender
Greg Clarke - Chairman of the Football League
Ritchie Humphreys - New PFA Chairman
Dario Gradi - Crewe director of football
Greg Dyke - FA Chairman
Roger Burden - FA vice-chairman 

The panel, which will report back by the end of March 2014, will look at ways of increasing the number of English players representing teams in the Premier League.

Although a sometimes vocal critic of the FA's methods, Campbell welcomed the commission.

'I don't want it to fail, I want it to be successful. But it's a really tough job because they left it far too long to wake up to the problem.

'At least they finally recognised the problem and are going to do something about it.'

He sympathised with Jack Wilshere's views that all England players should be English-born but didn't believe it would always be possible.

He added: 'I see where he is coming from, you need to have at least grown up in England and understand the meaning of playing for England.

Planning the future: Greg Dyke set up the Commission this week to try and address the problems in the English game

Planning the future: Greg Dyke set up the Commission this week to try and address the problems in the English game

'But the FA has to look at different avenues and explore everything.

'Football moves so quickly and if you haven't got that pool of players to fill the void for outgoing players of England, you have to look at other avenues.'

 

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Its a genuine question, glen hodle has achived nothing of late, and i see no reason why he should be there..

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Sol Campbell needs to go away. We dont live in the 1800s no matter how much he likes to make out that we are. The people doing the hiring didnt even think about skin colour as it didnt matter to them, they just hired the best for the role. It must be a constant struggle for people like sol campbell to go through their life still trying to make out everyone else is racist and in doing so, of course not even considering the fact he is judging all white people and being racist himself.

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I don't see any three-legged Cyclops on the panel, I don't think they've been fairly represented either!

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People like him are the real people who bring race into everything. Everything is racial & everywhere must fill a quota or tick a box to appease all races, on the basis of race alone & not ability. Are you happy with the diverse makeup of the Black footballers Association Sol?

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same guy who said that black people would be killed if they went to the Euros in Poland and Ukraine?

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No one APPLIED for these jobs...They were APPOINTED by the FA..The same FA that proclaims to be doing so much in their campaigns against RACISM....Sol makes perfect sense in what he is saying... How does it look with 70 yr old white men from yesteryear's football era discussing moving the ENGLAND team forward?...When was the last time any of these old white men have even played for or managed a football team?..There's a lot on here with the same racist blinkers as the FA....!!

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Are we talking about being competent to do a job or are we talking about innuendo on racism in sport? You want the job apply for it, if you don't why bother with the underhand comment.

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there's no Chinese or Asians on there either are they shouting out no. if you want something go for it if you don't get it it's not because of your colour its because your NOT GOOD enough. new record please Sol. think your pushing for someone to offer you something rather than work hard and try and earn it. go do your badges get properly qualified and then get a job. you will then be judged on how GOOD you are not what colour you are. do white people shout about not enough in basketball etc no its that we aint that good at it simples

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Pipe down Sol, sour grapes anyone?

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Sol is racist for even bringing that up. We shouldn't live in a world your job is determined by how many of each race you have employed. It should be about the ability to so the job well, and that alone.

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