Former Tottenham, Wigan and Market Drayton Town defender Pascal Chimbonda believes the scarcity of black managers is a “barrier to fight against” as he seeks to prove himself as the new boss of non-league Skelmersdale United.
The 44-year-old will make his managerial debut in the inauspicious circumstances of the North West Counties Premier League, where his rock-bottom side host Kendal Town in the Macron Cup tomorrow.
“I tried to go to different academies and it never worked because you need experience and sometimes when you apply for the job and you see someone with a lesser CV than you get the job you get frustrated,” he said. “You see the leagues don’t have many black managers and I think this is a barrier we have to fight against and we need to keep fighting and things might change.“I got my chance at Skem and I will show what I am capable of doing. We are bottom of the league so it is a big challenge for me to change things.
Chimbonda has limited experience of lower league football after dropping down the divisions following spells at Sunderland, Blackburn and Doncaster to play for Drayton, Washington and Ashton Town.“I don’t think it is a publicity stunt. I take it seriously because football has been all my life,” he added.Chairman Frank Hughes said Chimbonda’s appointment was part of a longer-term plan to return the 141-year-old club – Amateur FA Cup Winners in 1971 – home to the West Lancashire town.
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