Patrick Vieira has called on football to move faster to address the lack of Black people in decision-making positions.
The Senegalese Crystal Palace boss, who lifted the World Cup with France and the Double with Arsenal, was handed a lifetime achievement trophy at last weekend’s Best of Africa Awards in London. But he is continuing to highlight the stark, statistical imbalance which still sees precious few Black people at high levels in the UK, Europe and around the world - despite a third of the players in this country being Black.
Vieira, the only Black manager in the Premier League, said: “We live in a society where it is tough, it is difficult for young African persons to achieve because I strongly believe that a lot of doors are closed and we don’t have the opportunities we deserve.
“I know what I am talking about because it's been challenging to get to where I am today. I had some really good support, especially when I was at City. But I want to be a positive example. I want to show that we can lead, we can make decisions and we can manage. We are as good as anybody else.”
Former Players’ Union Deputy Bobby Barnes was the first Black man elected to 16-person UEFA’s Executive Committee in 2020 but there are still too few in English, European or world football administration - and none in elite-level refereeing.
“That is what we need to change,” Vieira added. “When we are looking at football matches and we see that diversity on the field, I would love to see the same kind of diversity higher. We are talking about our federations. Not just black persons but women as well, We want to be judged by our quality.”
Vieira, 46, is already in the Premier League Hall of Fame and widely considered as one of the greatest midfielders of his generation. He was in the Premier League Team of the Year - as voted by his peers - for six straight years from 1999 to 2004. He helped Arsenal to dominate during his time at the club, lifting three league titles - including an unbeaten season - and FA Cups.
He went on to win four league titles with Inter Milan and the FA Cup with Manchester City before retiring in 2011. He would take charge of City’s academy two years later and, after coaching MLS side New York City and French club Nice, he took over at Palace in 2021.
But he is one of just a handful of Black managers out of the 92 in English and European football with a similarly shameful number of Black decision makers higher up. He added: “Its not changing and the question is: ‘Do they really want to make those changes?’ That is the real question.
“If they say yes they do then why do they wait to do it? Because there are people who are qualified to take responsibility. Things are changing, things are improving - but too slowly. That is why we have to fight for things to change.
“We have to expose the real situations and make people understand that the doors are closed, The doors are closed. The doors are closed because of the colour of the skin or the religion, Or because you are a woman. That has to change.”
