Butch Fazal: Gaining the Middle Ground

Hi and welcome back!

Working with the FA over the last year has been an eye-opening experience. 

I'm no football expert (by any means) but luckily they aren't expecting me to be. Instead, together, we are working to create an environment where everyone in the Education directorate can do their best work. 

That's how I met Butch Fazal, Coach Inclusion and Diversity manager for the Football Association. 

He has made a huge impact on the profile of inclusion and diversity within the FA, making it everyone's business rather than something marginal. I noticed very quickly how often diversity and inclusion was part of every conversation and how the idea of a game free from discrimination was the ambition of all. 

And that's why I wanted to talk to him, to see how we can put inclusion at the heart of our work rather than a topic or project which sits slightly apart from the main focus of the work. 

Butch's key remit is to address the significant under representation of Black, Asian and ethnic minority coaches including females within the professional men and boy’s game. Supporting players coming out of a professional playing career who are transitioning into coaching, alongside emerging high potential coaching talent with the aim of developing a pipeline of ethnically diverse and female coaches who will challenge for and secure full time role within the professional game.

He manages a number of positive action programmes and initiatives for the FA in their aim of delivering world class coach development and a game server objective of a game free of discrimination. ‘The real joy I get from coaching is supporting and developing the future generation of coaches who will make a positive difference within the game and in turn become agents and catalysts for change’

Butch spent 12 years as chair of the National Asian in Football Forum in which he pushed provoked and prompted football stakeholders across the game to consider the embarrassingly low number of South Asians within the game, winner of the unsung hero award at the Asian Football Awards in 2013 is testament his longevity and his passion for equality within the game at all levels.

His 45 years of experience within the game as player and coach has enabled him to carve a creditable reputation within the industry and to this day he is as passionate about football as he was when he first kicked a ball. 

 I hope you'll enjoy this conversation and get some get advice about how to get Diversity and Inclusion in to the middle ground rather than on the edges of your HR strategy.