in thinking the FA are being hypocritical when it comes to racism in football?

[kelly2000]

It seems gross hypocrisy on the part of some footballers, and the FA that now Capello has left they are asking for an English manager not a foreigner. Several footballers have tweeted that they want an English manager (Michael Owen, Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand I believe), and the FA at their press conference have admitted that although they want the best person for the job they have a preference for an English or British person and an English or British person will have an advantage when it comes to getting the job. Apart from the fact I am certain that is illegal under EU law to give preference to someone based on their nationality (if the other applicants have a right to work in the UK), it also seems to be incredibly racist to admit you do not want a foreigner to get the job.

Why is that acceptable, if John Terry had called someone a Polish c@nt would no-one have cared? We all agree it is wrong to make a racist comment like Terry is accused of, but how can they get away with saying they are going to discriminate against potential managers on the basis of their nationaility? That is racism pure and simple.

YANBU, but you must realise that the FA need to do all they can to deter Mourinho from applying for the position with support from the team and fans. They're crapping themselves that this might happen as they can't abide anyone with his own opinion or a willingness to voice it.

The FA is riddled with hypocrisy and lies but somehow they get away with it tima and again. My brother's a sports journalist and some of the things he could tell you about the FA members would make your ears burn.

I know the FA saying they are against raicism, but have a preference for an English person is akin to someone saying they are a vegetarian, but eat chicken.

I don't know really because it is a national team

It can only be made up of players from England... So why not the manager too?

It seems odd to me that a
National team where example a Spanish player cannot play for the team and only English can, but the manager situation is totally different is a bit odd in itself...

I think it's different from club football and I just don't get it really

but you have to be english to play for the team, so why not the manager?

I'm in the FA's camp on this. They have tried foreign managers - Sven and Fabio - and neither has really worked. I think if it was a foreign born manager that lived and managed in the Premier league with great success then it would possibly be OK.

However if they have just had success overseas it is not so easy as the way we play football - high intensity etc - is very different to on the continent. They also have to get the fans on side and they plainly seem to think Harry is the right man. Wonder if Sir Alex or Martin O'Neill said they wanted the job though - that would be interesting conundrum for them!

I don't think are actually being racist but instead are saying that somebody who is English, and has lived and worked in England, would understand our players and footaballing nature. You'd never get the top European sides like Germany and Spain, for example being managed by an Englishman no matter how well qualified here.

We need Mike Bassett and we need to play four four fucking two

As a team that represents the nation, I think it only fair that bigger loyalty will come from an English manager rather than an Italian or any other nation.

Football? Hypocritical? The very idea!.... This is a massive commercial enterprise, reliant on the players playing and the stadiums filling, and they will do anything, excuse anything, and forgive anything, no matter how horrendous, if it means the matches still happen and bring in the sponsorship. In the context of so much bribery, corruption, drug-abuse etc, what do they care for a little racism? High-level sport is more bent than a paper-clip. Why people persist in thinking it's some kind of noble, honest pursuit is beyond me.

The FA gave a press conference this morning, during which they said in the record that they would like to see an English manager for the England team, they will be seeking to appoint the best person for the job regardless of nationality.

Players have to be English. In fact for national teams, regardless of country, you have to be a national of that country. That's a matter of legal nationality, not race.

Extending that principle to managers wouldn't be so different. I don't know if any other countries use that principle though. Perhaps it is something for FIFA to rule on?