“We need to be given more opportunities to show that we are as good as anybody else,” emphasises Patrick Vieira, talking about a number of black managers involved in top-notch football in Europe at the moment.The Arsenal legend, now in the Crystal Palace dugout, is actually the only black coach in the Premier League and one of the very few in all top European leagues.”Doors are not open for black managers, ” says the Eagles’ tactician.You ain’t messing with a petrified fella: Vieira kicks an Everton fan during a celebratory pitch invasionA new report shows that 43% of Premier League and 34% of EFL players are black, but only 4.4% of managers.”We have to give opportunities to people of colour,” Vieira told BBC’s Football News Show.”We are as good as anybody else. And we need to have no more or less opportunity than anybody else.”When you are looking at the top five leagues in the world, and you’re looking at the number of black coaches you have in the first or second division, it is not enough.”There is a lack of opportunity there. There is a lack of connection from black players to connect ourselves a little bit more with people who are making the decisions.”But overall, I believe that the doors are not open for us to do what we can do and to go into management. When I talk about management, I’m talking about the team, but I’m also talking about the higher level as well.Legendary Patrick Vieira says he’s very proud of his African identityVieira said it was encouragement from Manchester City then managing director Brian Marwood as he finished his playing career that led him into management.”I spoke a lot with Marwood and he made me understand that having the career I had as a player wasn’t enough,” he said.”I decided to go through my [coaching] badges and to start with Manchester City Under-21s and to go to New York. I needed to build that credibility and the experience to believe that this was what I wanted to do.”I had good people around me who gave me the platform to learn and to make mistakes, and today, to be at Palace with belief and confidence in my ability to be a good manager.”##NAJAVA_MECA_6758011##Last week a report from The Black Footballers Partnership, an organisation formed earlier this year, found that 14% of those with top coaching qualifications – a Uefa pro licence – are black, and only 1.6% of executive, leadership and ownership positions in football are held by black people.
