FA to adopt 'Rooney Rule' in hiring England managers
The Football Association announced Tuesday it will adopt a version of the NFL's "Rooney Rule" when interviewing candidates for managerial roles with England's national teams.
At least one applicant from a Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) background will be interviewed when the FA searches for England managers as the governing body aims to be more inclusive.
"What it will say is the opportunity to have a career beyond playing is something that the FA is serious about promoting," chief executive Martin Glenn said, according to the Guardian
"The FA wants to become a more inclusive organisation where the workforce more represents the people who play football today."
BAME applicants will still be required to prove they meet the relevant recruitment criteria when applying for FA vacancies.
A report in November concluded that just four percent of the over 450 jobs across the top-four leagues in England were occupied by BAME coaches.
A version of the Rooney Rule, which the NFL implemented in 2003, among English Football League clubs came into effect Jan. 1. The pilot project is scheduled to last 18 months and extends to all first-team vacancies.
The Rooney Rule implementation was one of a number of initiatives revealed as part of the FA's new 2018 reform plans.