Chris Hughton: Brighton boss praises FA adoption of 'Rooney Rule'

Chris Hughton has been in charge of Brighton since December 2014

Brighton boss Chris Hughton says the Football Association's decision to interview at least one applicant from a black, Asian and minority ethnic background for future roles in the England set-up is "very promising".

English football's governing body said on Tuesday that it is to adopt its own version of the 'Rooney Rule' implemented in the NFL in 2003.

Research conducted in November showed only 22 of 482 coaching roles across England's top four leagues were filled by people from BAME backgrounds.

"I would applaud what they have done and certainly I would see it as a positive," said Hughton, the Premier League's only black manager.

"For the FA to make the decision that they have made, it's something that's very worthwhile."

The rule in the NFL is named after the competition's former diversity committee chairman Dan Rooney.

It requires clubs in American football to interview at least one BAME candidate for each head coach or senior football operation vacancy.

Asked whether the FA should have adopted the policy sooner, Hughton said: "I think we can speak about lots of aspects and rights and wrongs and what could have been done. But what we have to do is speak about now and progress that can be made.

"All we want eventually to see is more black and ethnic coaches involved at the higher levels of the game. Anything that promotes that is something very much worthwhile."