Former West Brom player Carlton Palmer says Rooney Rule is 'tokenism'
Former Albion player Carlton Palmer has labelled the Rooney Rule an act of tokenism that doesn't work.
This month, the English Football League confirmed it was rolling out the rule for its 72 clubs on January 1 for an 18-month trial.
That means at least one black and ethnic minority (BAME) coach must be interviewed for any vacancy of manager or head coach.
The Rooney Rule had previously only applied to academy appointments, but from the start of 2018, it will be in place for senior ones too.
But 52-year-old Palmer, who is black and hails from Rowley Regis, is not a fan.
"It's an act of tokenism, the Rooney Rule," Palmer told the Express & Star.
"My daughter’s just graduated from Law and my other daughter has graduated with a degree in Social Work.
"They're starting to apply for jobs and being told that ethnic minorities will be looked upon favourably.
"We don’t want that. They want the job on the back of what they deserve.
"If a black person goes and does their coaching badges, they should get the job off the back of hard work, not tokenism.
"We don’t want to fill criteria. The best way to affect change is by being successful."
The Rooney Rule hails from the United States where it is used in American Football. It is named after Dan Rooney, former owner of Pittsburgh Steelers and chairman of the NFL's diversity committee.
It has applied to EFL academy appointments since June 2016, but Palmer thinks it's ineffective as well.
"The Rooney Rule only means they have to interview a black or ethnic candidate, it doesn’t mean they’ve got to give them the job," said Palmer.
"Nintety-five per cent of those jobs in the NFL are filled with white people. Only five per cent are black.
“What is the Rooney Rule for? It doesn’t work."
Palmer tackles racism in football among several other topics in his new autobiography, 'It Is What It Is'.
The England international had a 20-year playing career that started at The Hawthorns, before brief managerial stints with Stockport County and Mansfield Town.
"I never applied for either one of those jobs so I can’t say I’ve experienced what the black players are going through," admitted Palmer.
"But I hear Dwight Yorke talking about the Aston Villa job.
"I’m not saying racism doesn’t exist, but I’m not being funny, that’s got nothing to do with racism.
"If you’ve got Steve Bruce going for that job, how is Yorke going to get that job?
"Go and get a job at Stevenage like Teddy Sheringham, go and get a job at Crawley Town like Harry Kewell.
"Get in there and be successful."
Palmer currently lives in China, but he is back in Sheffield at the moment to spend time with his family for Christmas.
Last year, he collapsed 20 minutes into a Masters football match between England and Germany in Singapore and was rushed to hospital.
His brush with death convinced him to finish his book.
"The incident in Singapore convinced me I was doing the right thing, but I was writing it before," he said.
"It changed me initially, but six or seven months after I had surgery the doctor said go back to normal.
"The fact you were as fit as you were is why you are still alive. I was not going to play football, but my wife said that’s not you.
"It’s changed my thoughts a little bit, but not my actions. I still love playing football, I still love having a drink, that's who I am, but now things I would have argued about in the past are not that important. Being alive is important."