DWIGHT YORKE has claimed black former players cannot get interviews for managerial jobs.
The ex-Manchester United striker has completed all of his coaching badges – and is convinced his skin colour has hindered his chances of landing a role in England.
Yorke, 44, admitted he was desperate to stake his claim for the vacant job at former team Aston Villa this month.
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But he revealed he could not even get an interview with the club before Steve Bruce was appointed last week.
Yorke said: “I’m still looking to get in.
“I’ve done all the coaching badges at St George’s and the one thing I find very difficult, let alone get a job, is to even get an interview. I’m finding it very, very difficult at the moment.
“Yes, you are doing all your coaching, all your badges, but then when it comes to getting a job, you are not even getting an interview.
“It’s all about who you know as well, that has to play a role. Despite all my experience of being a player, I’ve never had the experience of being a manager which is a different concept from being a coach.”
Yorke won three titles under Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford and netted 123 Premier League goals in spells at United, Villa, Blackburn, Birmingham and Sunderland.
He served as assistant manager at national side Trinidad and Tobago but has so far failed to be handed the top job at any club.
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There are currently no black bosses in the country’s top flight – with only Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Chris Hughton occupying roles in the Championship.
The Rooney Rule in American football requires all NFL teams to interview at racial minority candidates for head coach roles.
No such regulation exists in the English game - and Yorke is adamant that black managers are “hitting a wall” when trying to progress their careers.
Speaking the beIN Sports - as reported by the Mirror - he added: “It’s often been discussed, no-one has really taken it up.
“But I do have a tendency when I speak to everybody, certainly black players who are trying to break into managerial department are coming up against the same concept because of your race.
“You keep constantly hitting a wall, keep constantly not getting anywhere and even with all the noises that I’ve made, I’ve even tried to get in at Villa at this point. What I’m saying is that it would have been nice to just have your thoughts heard.
“OK, maybe you will never get a chance to be a manager but it would be nice to go in there, present yourself, get to know that person and [have them] say, ‘OK, Dwight, we like your concept, but you’re not experienced enough. Go away and do this or do that.”
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