PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor has blamed club chairmen and boards of directors for the lack of black coaches and managers in the professional game.
Speaking following a meeting between former black players and representatives of the Premier League and the Football League, Taylor outlined a series of initiatives that were agreed upon to ensure more former black players are given opportunities to work in the game after retirement.
And while he hoped the initiatives would lead to long-term success in finding more management positions for black players, Taylor claimed the problem lay with the professional clubs' decision-makers.
"The biggest problem where progress needs to be made is with the very people that are doing the recruiting and that's the board of directors," said Taylor.
"Without particularly appreciating it they are not being as broadminded, global and generic in their outlook," he added.
The meeting in London, organised by the PFA and the 'Kick It Out' campaign, was attended by many black former players including John Barnes, Luther Blissett, Paul Davis, Garth Crooks, Cyrille Regis and Brian Stein.
Charlton defender Chris Powell and Lincoln City boss Keith Alexander - one of only four black managers in charge of the current 92 League clubs - also attended Monday's initiative.
Taylor stopped short of accusing club chiefs of institutionalised racism although he did say: "if there is any, it needs to be removed."
The PFA chief executive also outlined several examples of the circumstances that led to today's meeting, including several high-profile cases such as Davis not being selected to coach Arsenal's under-17 team despite having better qualifications than Steve Bould, who got the job.
Taylor added: "Paul Davis is highly qualified as a coach - he may be a catalyst for what we're talking about - and justifiably felt that he was well qualified for a position for which he was overlooked.
"Luther Blissett was well qualified as a player and coach and was told when applying for a job he didn't have enough experience, which was an insult in itself when you think of the training he's done under Graham Taylor.
"John Barnes, an icon for black players, had an opportunity at Celtic and has never had an opportunity since."
The initiatives discussed at the meeting included the need to appoint more black coaches on FA coaching programmes, the League Managers Association training managers and coaches in equal opportunities to avoid current bosses using their 'old boys network' for recruitment and the development of a new role within the PFA for a dedicated officer working towards these goals.
Former Liverpool and England star Barnes summed up the way many of his contemporaries feel.
"We have dealt with the problem from the playing prospective as black players are now given equal opportunities as players," he said.
"I view black managers now in the same way as I viewed black players in the '70s when they were told they could be wingers, but not centre-backs.
"All we want is a fair crack of the whip like everyone else. If we fail then we would like a second chance like everyone else."
Speaking following a meeting between former black players and representatives of the Premier League and the Football League, Taylor outlined a series of initiatives that were agreed upon to ensure more former black players are given opportunities to work in the game after retirement.
And while he hoped the initiatives would lead to long-term success in finding more management positions for black players, Taylor claimed the problem lay with the professional clubs' decision-makers.
"The biggest problem where progress needs to be made is with the very people that are doing the recruiting and that's the board of directors," said Taylor.
"Without particularly appreciating it they are not being as broadminded, global and generic in their outlook," he added.
The meeting in London, organised by the PFA and the 'Kick It Out' campaign, was attended by many black former players including John Barnes, Luther Blissett, Paul Davis, Garth Crooks, Cyrille Regis and Brian Stein.
Charlton defender Chris Powell and Lincoln City boss Keith Alexander - one of only four black managers in charge of the current 92 League clubs - also attended Monday's initiative.
Taylor stopped short of accusing club chiefs of institutionalised racism although he did say: "if there is any, it needs to be removed."
The PFA chief executive also outlined several examples of the circumstances that led to today's meeting, including several high-profile cases such as Davis not being selected to coach Arsenal's under-17 team despite having better qualifications than Steve Bould, who got the job.
Taylor added: "Paul Davis is highly qualified as a coach - he may be a catalyst for what we're talking about - and justifiably felt that he was well qualified for a position for which he was overlooked.
"Luther Blissett was well qualified as a player and coach and was told when applying for a job he didn't have enough experience, which was an insult in itself when you think of the training he's done under Graham Taylor.
"John Barnes, an icon for black players, had an opportunity at Celtic and has never had an opportunity since."
The initiatives discussed at the meeting included the need to appoint more black coaches on FA coaching programmes, the League Managers Association training managers and coaches in equal opportunities to avoid current bosses using their 'old boys network' for recruitment and the development of a new role within the PFA for a dedicated officer working towards these goals.
Former Liverpool and England star Barnes summed up the way many of his contemporaries feel.
"We have dealt with the problem from the playing prospective as black players are now given equal opportunities as players," he said.
"I view black managers now in the same way as I viewed black players in the '70s when they were told they could be wingers, but not centre-backs.
"All we want is a fair crack of the whip like everyone else. If we fail then we would like a second chance like everyone else."
