Liverpool legend John Barnes has blamed the colour of his skin for failing to get back to football management.
The legend was last in charge of Tranmere Rovers Football Club, but was sacked in 2009, after which Barnes has not been out of job. At the club level, his resume includes Celtic and Jamaica at the international level.
There has been a number of instances, when managers have been sacked by another club, but within a year or so the manager has been roped in by some other club.
But, as it seems the legend is still waiting for an offer to manage a football team or a club.
"A white manager loses his job and gets another job, he loses his job, he gets another job," Barnes said on ITV.
"Very few black managers can lose their job and get another job."
"What I can judge it from is by looking at society. How many black people are there in the higher echelons of any industry? We can talk about journalism, we can talk about politics. So why should football be any different?"
History does suggest that there is a dearth of black managers in the English game. Chris Ramsey is the only black manager in the EPL, while there are a few others in lower leagues, but just a handful.
But, the Twitterati did not like Barnes using the race card, but people in the social media pointed fingers towards his managerial resume for his current position.
Here are some of those tweets:
John Barnes playing the race card, eh sorry mate you're not a manager because you were total failure when you were one
— Scott (@Dotsy1978) March 30, 2015
Nate
John Barnes - apparently he's saying he can't get a Managers job because he's black. I think it's more to do with your managerial record."
John Burke
If a white manager had a record like John Barnes as manager he wouldn't get a job either. He's had three teams, and failed at all of them!"
Lewis West
So John Barnes is playing the race card to excuse for his failings as a manager. Nothing to do with skin colour, you're just a useless boss."
Jonathan Dickinson
People like Sol Campbell and John Barnes are creating race issues that simply aren't there."
Ant Henderson
Not saying there isn't a debate to be had, I just don't think John Barnes is struggling for work purely because he's black....."
The Twelfth Man
To wrap up: I think John Barnes is a racist bigot, trying to use his skin colour to manipulate the media and put focus on himself. PR."
Marc Mallong
John Barnes failing to distinguish the difference between racism and complete and utter ignorance of your own shortcomings. Bad call."
But, one look at Barnes' professional record as a manager looks decent, where he won 19 games with Celtic and lost eight. For Jamaica, he even holds an impressive without a single loss with seven wins and four draws, but for Tranmere, he was unlucky as he suffered eight losses and three wins with one draw.
