Ex-DR Congo Captain Starts Black Coaching Scheme

A non-league player and former international hopes to force “drastic change” towards equality in football with an initiative to develop more black managers and coaches.

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Gabriel Zakuani, a former DR Congo captain, has the support and financial backing for the scheme from the Professional Footballers’ Association, the players’ union.

The Dagenham and Redbridge defender says his initiative will also pay for coaching badges for under-privileged people and try to get them on the coaching ladder and into employment.

“The PFA has looked at their statistics of black players in the country and not enough players are making the step up into coaching or management,” said the 34-year-old.

At present, only six of the 91 Premier League and English Football League managers or head coaches are from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) groups.