'Rooney rule' is just another form of racism, blasts Gunners boss Wenger



Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes the introduction of the 'Rooney rule' to try to boost the number of black coaches and managers would be a 'kind of racism' - insisting everyone must get jobs on merit alone.



The Professional Footballers' Association wants tougher penalties for racist abuse including making it potentially a sackable offence and culprits ordered to attend awareness programmes as well as adopting ideas from the United States designed to promote equality in coach recruitment.



The initiative proved a success in the America, where it was brought in by the National Football League to make sure qualified black coaches are on interview lists for job vacancies.



Standing up: Arsene Wenger believes the 'Rooney rule' to be a kind of racism

Currently, Norwich boss Chris Hughton is the only black manager in the English top flight.



Wenger, though, feels any such enforced 'quota' system would go against the whole concept of unilateral equality.



'I [have] always been against discrimination. Is it positive or negative? What they call it in France is "positive discrimination",' Wenger said,



'I feel that no matter what job you do in life, you should just do it because you deserve to do it and you have the quality to do it.



'You have to favour access for everybody to manage in football. Just to put a quota out, for me is exactly against what sport has to be - sport is about competition and competence.



'That will have exactly the opposite effect [to] what it should have. You can say as well then, "why do you leave him out? He's better than the guy in his place. [It is] just because you have a quota".



'It is again a kind of racism and what we have all to fight for is just competence, to put people who are good - are they white, black, red, no matter what colour - just put guys who have a competence in charge, and we have to fight for that.'



Wenger feels there should be no issues with managers of any ethnic origin making it at the top level if they are good enough.



He said: 'I don't see any difference between black or white. I could never understand that difference.



Standing alone: Chris Hughton is the only black manager in the Premier League

'You judge people on facts and on what they did in life. I never considered where you come from or what colour you are. I think if you are good enough, you help people.



'We have to keep the priorities right - that means people who want to do a job, who have the qualities to do a job, to give them the job.'



Wenger feels sport can lead the drive for a change in society.



The Arsenal manager continued: 'Sport has one big advantage - you can measure the performances of people, if you are good, you play.



'That we suddenly have that problem is for me quite surprising because overall I don't feel you ever leave any player out for a racial reason. You only field your best team and you just look at the quality of the players.



'There is no language problem (in sport) - if you don't speak the language, you can still play with a player if you are good enough, therefore, there is very little discrimination in our job.'



