Fighting racism the Chris Powell way

There are many ways to fight racism, indeed the kaleidoscope of racist variables include; physical or verbal attacks, being marginalised, and or not being seen at all.  All these very different aspects of rasicm often demand different responses.

Last week  during the swanky ‘Kick it –racism-out’ footballing fundraiser dinner at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge, Tottenham Hotspurs legend, Garth Crooks engaged in conversation with two Black managers former Charlton boss Chris Powell, and Brighton boss Chris Houghton.

The two Chris’s were talking about their plight as a rare breed of top flight  Black football managers.

So when Powell reminisced about his managerial debut at his beloved Charlton he explained how, as a young bold Black manager he sought to make his mark by sweeping out almost all of present players, at that time, and the back room staff so that he could build a team in his vision.

Much has been spoken about Powell’s Charlton team in 2011 that went on to get promoted with a record number of points that year. “I’m a leader” Powell said to Garth Crooks, not with an air of arrogance, but from a man who is confident about his abilities to get the job done in the most unforgiving sports arena – football. The very special often  untold story about that success was how Powell’s challenged racist perceptions single handedly by appointment senior back room Black staff.

Powell’s number two was Chris Dyer a veteran Black defender from the lower leagues, but who acutely understood the game and the resilience needed for a long season. Making up the third person in that all important –dug out- was Erol Emut, Charlton’s number one physiotherapist.

Imagine this picture, this statement in top flight English football, the Black manager, the Black coach and Turkish physiotherapist, walking out together for more 40 games in grounds all over the country; Jaws would drop, fans and opposition 'dug outs' would do a double take when the three men entered the stadium.

The incisive Garth Crooks homed in on Powell’s understated recollections of this dynamic trio. “Chris, come on”, Crooks playfully goaded, “ you must of been aware of what you were doing, when week after week you showed this non-white trio in some hostile places around the country?”. Powell smiled and nodding, perhaps for the first time acknowledging the enormity of that particular aspect of his leadership. “Of course we knew what we were doing and how it shocked many clubs. But the important point was about this teaming winning.”

Powell is right of course. This wasn’t about Black  faces in high places, which as we all know tokenism. Actually, its not even about talented Black faces in high places, even that’s not quite good enough in football. No, this was about a talented management team who were able to win, time and time again.

Powell, above all, understood this.

In a world where no football manager is safe, including the big names of Jose Mourinho and Luis  Van Gal, Chris Powell and Chris Houghton have both held their own. Furthermore, they have never abandoned confronting racial obstacles, albeit in their own way. Both men have always supported ‘Kick out racism’, and always attend their functions, but wider than that these two men let their actions do the talking rather than screaming and shouting, ‘ that’s not fair’.

I guess they leave that for the likes of me, and as they probably say  during their prematch  team talks; 'every member of team has a particular role to play.

Simon Woolley