Ramsey appointment gives BAME coaches hope

Chris Ramsey's appointment as QPR manager until the end of the season will give Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) coaches the belief they can succeed, according to football's inclusion campaign Kick It Out.

Ramsey has been tasked with keeping QPR in the Premier League, two days after guiding the club to victory at Sunderland following a run of 13 consecutive away league defeats.

Around 30 per cent of league footballers are non-white, yet Ramsey becomes only the sixth non-white manager amongst the 92 league clubs, and the only one in the Premier League.

And Kick It Out Professional Players Engagement Manager Paul Mortimer insists aspiring BAME coaches can take heart from seeing Ramsey at the helm of a Premier League club.

"I think it's fabulous it's a great step forward, Chris is an incredibly positive role model and first and foremost he is a fantastic coach with experience of management," Mortimer told Sky Sports.

"This appointment gives Black and Minority Ethnic coaches the chance to be seen. It affords them the opportunity to become visible.

"Chris has become visible over the last couple of weeks and has had to work his way through to get this chance. He's done a good job. There is no disputing that.

"And for a lot of BAME coaches who weren't going to go down that path - because they don't see other BAME coaches in similar positions - it gives them the shot in the arm they need to be able to deal with knockbacks, knowing full well that if Chris can get to the top of the tree there is no reason why they can't.

"He's done it the hard way."

Ramsey, 52, was head of player development at QPR and performed a similar role at Tottenham prior to a short stint as England U17 assistant manager.

"Sometimes when you are corralled into a group, you forget about the individual and their abilities and that is why you'd like to think people are employed because of their merits," added Mortimer.

"I'd like to think Chris has been given the role because of what he can do and what he can achieve. He knows the club, he knows football, he's a good coach and this appointment steadies the ship. It brings stability.

"He ticks every box. He's got loads of experience working from academy level upwards and has worked in international football with England's youngsters. He's the ideal man for the job.

"You don't always need a big name, you need the right name and out of the shadows Chris Ramsey has emerged as the right man to do the job."