The operational implementation of the English Football League’s voluntary code of coach recruitment and its effectiveness in addressing the underrepresentation of minoritised coaches

Abstract

The English Football League’s voluntary code of coach recruitment seemingly represents a step change in the approach of authorities to addressing the continuing underrepresentation of minoritised coaches in men’s professional football in England. Informed by Critical Race Theory, this article draws on qualitative data generated in 29 interviews with minoritised coaches, professional club chief executives and key organizational stakeholders to examine the code’s development, implementation and effectiveness. Findings demonstrate that the implementation of the code appeared largely performative, as an absence of compliance coupled with organizational scepticism resulted in clubs continuing to operate informal recruitment processes. This engendered little meaningful change in increasing the inclusivity of coach recruitment practices and the representation of minoritised coaches in the game. The study demonstrates that more holistic and interventionist organizational approaches to equality, sensitive to the continuing salience of ‘race’, are needed in men’s professional football coaching.