What happened to the boys in the Euros, that is just society being what society is, rearing its ugly head in football. That is what we felt needed to be understood. Racism is not just in football, it is in society. But do you think this current England team helps? I think half of the team is black and perhaps that could help with acceptance? I think we saw that after the Euros final when Rashford, Sancho and Saka missed their penalties. Because once you loosen the purse strings so to speak, things like that will always happen.” As we see it as it is now, I am not surprised at all.
Black legend history cracked#
People will always come back to read their ugly head because, like I said, we get to a holding position and think we have cracked it. It will always rear its ugly head because that is what the world is. We get it to a certain holding position and then think we have done our jobs. Then all of a sudden, its head rears up and everyone says 'well, we eradicated it'. They think we have cracked it and we think we have made vast improvements.
I think what we do as a footballing country as a whole, we get to a certain place and then everyone forgets about it.
“I don't think we have really made progress. How do you feel it has changed for the current generation of players? Do you think we've made progress since the '70s and '80s, or has it just shifted to social media? Sometimes you let yourself down a little bit, with frustration or whatever it is, you are only human, but if I am a role model then I am a role model.” I tried to conduct myself in the right manner. But we do try our best, we do we try to conduct ourselves in the right manner. Ultimately you are always trying to leave a legacy and if people want to look at that legacy as being a role model to them for what you achieved then that is a great feeling. Some people might have liked that and some people might not. I know what I was like when I was younger and the way I played the game. “During my career, or even now I am retired, do I look at myself as a role model? I don't know. But if you can be a positive on somebody then that is a fantastic feeling.”ĭid you feel you were a role model during your career, or is it something you only realised afterwards? Sometimes you accept it and sometimes you don't. It is a special feeling for people to turn to me and say I was their role model growing up. I like to believe that I achieved that, playing the way I did, achieving what I achieved for all of the clubs I played for. When we were playing, we were showing people that if you believe in yourself then the sky is the limit. A lot of people are prepared to tell us what we can't do, but it's what we can do. “It was very special for us and, ultimately, we were trying to show the generation beneath us that anything is possible. You were one of the Premier League's most high-profile black players during the 1990s when English football was going through a transformative process. Obviously I look at him and what he has achieved in his career as well, but my role model was Cyrille Regis.”
“I think John is a lot of the younger generation's idol, younger than my generation, but I respect John 100 per cent. We have all got role models and he was definitely mine.”Īnd were there people like John Barnes and perhaps Ian Wright later on? In footballing terms, Cyrille Regis was my biggest inspiration and he was one of the reasons why I wanted to play football. So I would say my dad, who passed away in June. I think you always look at your father as a role model because, ultimately, when you are growing up he is the provider. “Yeah, it is very important and I agree that we deserve more than a month, but it is what it is.
Black legend history full#
Watch or read Coley’s interview in full here…įirstly Andy, can you sum up just how important Black History Month is, and who were your black role models when you were growing up? As Andy explains, Yorkie’s eventual chance came on the other side of the world with Australian club Macarthur FC and, like every Red, he was delighted to see him win a domestic cup earlier this month. The Treble winner, 51 today, speaks passionately about role models and the influence of black players in an in-depth conversation with club journalist Sam Carney that you can read below.Ĭole feels particularly strongly about the lack of opportunities for black coaches and managers in English football, pointing to the fact his great friend Dwight Yorke could not find a route back into the game.
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