Crawley Town manager Kevin Betsy says there’s a lot of work to do to improve diversity in the managerial game

The former Arsenal U23 coach joined the Reds earlier this week becoming one of a few black managers in the Football League.

After earning his first senior team manager’s job, he’s hoping he can become an inspiration to young black coaches.

Speaking at his first press conference as Reds manager, he said: “I’m another manager who can inspire the next generation of young coaches. People told me when I got the England role that I inspired a lot of coaches and hopefully I can do that more in the professional game in the first team sphere.”

Acknowledging he is part of a minority of black football coaches, Betsy stated there’s a lot of work to do to improve diversity in the managerial game. “Without a doubt you have to do a lot of work and qualifications like everyone does but there is a minority of us of colour that are in managerial roles in English football and world football quite honestly. That’s the way it is these days and we have to keep pushing hard to achieve roles and be successful within those roles.”

Betsy grew up in East London and says his roots have shaped his footballing journey, giving him the feeling he always must do more. “Sometimes where you live and the diverse nature of your location can put you in different places.

"I was brought up in East London, sixteen tower block, council estate. It’s quite diverse there, it’s tough.

“When I got to 11 my dad had a really good job, worked really hard and managed to get us out of that area into Berkshire, Berkshire is quite rural, lots of grass, there’s not much diversity in Berkshire. So my team at school I was probably the only black player in the team, same with my morning grass roots team on a Sunday.

“So it was already visible for me to live just because of my proximity, so obviously in my football career as a player in the football industry when you get an opportunity it’s not really seen as a thing, but obviously I’m aware that I’ve always had to do more, that’s just nature, how it goes, we always have to do more that’s something that’s ingrained in me as a young kid.

“I always have to behave in a certain way and it links now to my coaching.

"I know I always have to do more as a person whether I’m black or white that’s just been instilled in me since I was a young kid.

“When it comes to qualifications I know if I want to be a football manager I have to get every qualification under the sun and I have to get something else like a degree.

“So when I’m sat in front of two owners that want to appoint a new manager and they’re talking to me about analytics or talking to me about physical performance or talking to me about player recruitment, I’m able to answer every single question in a way that gives them a real clear answer and I’m able to convince them I know what I’m talking about, if I haven’t ticked every box then I’m not going to be credible, so you have to do more, that’s the motto I would say.”

Have you seen? Watch Crawley Town new manager Kevin Betsy's first press conference in full | Kevin Betsy: All you need to know about Crawley Town's new manager - including the Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund and Tottenham stars he helped nurture | Crawley Town's new owners reveal why they chose Arsenal u23 coach Kevin Betsy as the new manager and why they delayed the announcement

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