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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Dan Kilpatrick

Chris Powell joins Gareth Southgate's England staff as part of Elite Coach Placement Programme

Former Charlton manager Chris Powell has joined Gareth Southgate's England backroom staff as part of the FA's push to involve more BAME coaches in the game.

Powell, who won five England caps as a left-back during his playing career, will join Southgate's team from this month until next summer's European Championship.

The 49-year-old has previously managed Huddersfield and Southend.

Former Birmingham defender Michael Johnson, who recently coached Guyana to the Gold Cup finals for the first time, will work with Under-21 boss Aidy Boothroyd, while Jason Euell, Marcus Bignot, Omer Riza and Matthew Thorpe will join other England age-group sides.

The FA said further placements would be confirmed later in the season.

The appointments are part of the FA's Elite Coach Placement Programme, rolled out last year to help solve the challenge of underrepresentation of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) coaches in the professional game.

Sol Campbell's mutually agreed departure from League Two Macclesfield last month means there are now only five BAME managers in England's top four divisions; Nuno Espirito Santo (Wolves), Sabri Lamouchi (Nottingham Forest), Darren Moore (Doncaster), Keith Curle (Northampton) and Dino Maamria (Stevenage).

Campbell, who saved Macclesfield from relegation from the EFL, has been one of the biggest critics of English football's lack of BAME managers, describing it as a "sad indictment" of the game before his appointment last season.

The PFA helped the FA to recruit Powell, Johnson and Co. and Gordon Taylor, the chief executive of the players' union, said: "We are delighted to see Chris Powell and Michael Johnson in prominent England international coaching roles, they will both bring invaluable experience and insight to the respective squads.

"This joint initiative aims to give the best visibility possible to further the progression of elite BAME coaches currently working within the game and to help inspire the next generation of BAME coaches.

"We would like to thank Gareth Southgate and all the England squads for their continued support with the programme."

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