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And Then There Were Two – Black Managers

Crispin Thomas

Friday, October 29th, 2010

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 ironic and sad
that here in the wake of Kick It Out Week
you know that time
when we get to see our managers interviewed
for a day with their little Kick It Out badges on
that we still now have with Paul Ince’s return to the fold
just two black managers in the football league

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 92 clubs 2 managers do the maths
but how long will Chris Hughton survive we wonder?
pressure pressure pressure

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 Keith Alexander eighteen years a boss
longest ever serving black manger
and an icon died recently sadly

4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 John Barnes sidelined to personal appearances,
occasional pundit roles reprised rapping
the after-dinner circuit but that dribble v Brazil
ok it was only a friendly we love you John

5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 Leroy Rosenior Jean Tigana Iffy Onuara
Noel Blake Chris Kamara all tried
and ok he’s Dutch but Ruud Gullit
a man who managed a side pre-Abramovich
one of whose anthems in the 80s was
‘The only WHITE team in London’
I remember hearing that
away at Cambridge once
and shuddering

6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 So what does it say about our ‘classless’ game in 2010?
Have we moved on?
Is it still old white boys in the boardroom?
Come to that how many girls at top level now?

7 Leave a comment on verse 7 0 but wait here’s a bushel of light
Hope Powell manager of England’s womens’ team

8 Leave a comment on verse 8 0 Strange then when more and more clubs
are being taken over and owned
by those we once classed as
‘Johnny Foreigners’

9 Leave a comment on verse 9 0 old habits die hard methinks
so what will it take for change?
and why don’t top black players
Sol Campbell David James and the like
go for it make their voices heard
and look to management?

10 Leave a comment on verse 10 0 then again given the surroundings
given the atmosphere given the hassle
would you?

11 Leave a comment on verse 11 0 Racism gone you say?

12 Leave a comment on verse 12 0 yeah right
.

© CT10

Notes

Paul Ince is back at Notts County this time…but for how long?

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/and-then-there-were-two-black-managers/