EFL adopts Rooney Rule

The English Football League (EFL) has confirmed it will adopt the Rooney Rule.

An 18-month trial saw EFL clubs voluntarily committing to interview at least one black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) candidate when recruiting for any managerial position in first-team football. 

The scheme is a variation of the Rooney Rule in the NFL, where teams are required to interview ethnic minority candidates for head coaching jobs.

A new regulation has been introduced by the EFL, which it said will ensure “that the principle of providing more opportunities to BAME candidates is mandatory when clubs consider multiple applicants for a role”. 

The EFL also confirmed a change in regulations following the ‘Spygate’ row between Championship clubs Leeds United and Derby County earlier in the year.

Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa admitted sending a staff member to watch Derby’s training sessions ahead of a league game between the sides in January.

The EFL concluded after an investigation that the conduct undertaken by Leeds breached its regulations, but on Friday noted a clarification of the rule was needed.

It now reads: “Without prejudice to the requirements of Regulation 3.4 (that each club shall behave towards each other club with the upmost good faith), no club shall directly or indirectly observe (or attempt to observe) another club’s training session in the period of 72 hours prior to any match scheduled to be played between those respective clubs.”