TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD is already a Champions League winner and knows a Premier League medal is also on the way.
But the Liverpool star, who faces Everton in tonight’s Merseyside derby, says he would feel a failure if he can’t also help eradicate racism from the sport he loves.
Trent Alexander-Arnold wants to keep winning trophies – but also wants to help eradicate racism in football
The England right-back, 21, is a passionate backer of the Black Lives Matter movement that has seen Premier League stars take a knee before games.
Alexander-Arnold said: “At the end of my career, I’m not going to look back and think ‘I won so many trophies’ – I want to look back and think ‘I influenced a generation’.
“It’s not just about being a role model on the pitch, I want to be someone who feels as though I have made a change in the way that people think.
“If at the end of my career I haven’t done that then I would see that as a failure.”
Alexander-Arnold grew up near Liverpool’s Melwood training ground with dad Michael, who is black, mum Dianne, who is white, and football-mad brothers Tyler and Marcel.
In a lengthy discussion with Rio Ferdinand on BT Sport he was asked whether he had been abused because of his colour in the past.
He said: “Not directly, no. But when my friends tell me they have been racially abused I feel the pain that they feel – it’s a community feeling.
“When things have been said to Raheem Sterling and Callum Hudson-Odoi, Rhian Brewster, Tyrone Mings – they haven’t just said it and hurt them, they’ve hurt everyone.
“It’s about everyone coming together because it’s not just about black people. Everyone of every race knows what’s happening is wrong.”
When you are looking at a transfer target you don’t care about colour, you are looking at talent. That should be the thought process for more powerful positions in football.
Alexander-Arnold on racism in football
Alexander-Arnold is one of a host of black stars currently wearing the Three Lions on their shirts and ripping up the Premier League.
But he argued it was high time diversity in football was not just limited to those on the pitch.
He said: “Within the system there’s not enough equality. For that to change we need equality from physios and kitmen all the way into the boardroom.
“When you are looking at a transfer target you don’t care what colour they are, you are looking at what talent they have got.
“That should be the thought process for more powerful positions in football.
“It feels as though whoever is making the decisions at the top, on purpose or not, race does come into their thought process.”
One way to change that, he argued, was to keep the message in everybody’s minds – including during matches.
Alexander-Arnold opened up in a touching interview with Rio Ferdinand
He said: “The sponsorships that go round the pitches – change it to messages that people can see all the time.
“Just keep reminding people of things, keep educating people and I’m sure in time we’ll see change.
“The children who look up to us, we have a responsibility to try to teach them to be better people and understand what’s right and wrong.”
Ferdinand – the only black player to have captained England in a major tournament – called on the Government to promote racial equality through the school curriculum.
He said: “We have seen far too often different charities, different organisations doing fly-by campaigns.
“Yes, their intentions were great but they were not sustained because the foundations weren’t in education.
“It has to be on the curriculum and the Government needs to get behind it.”
Former Manchester United defender Ferdinand also had zero time for those who prefer to say “all lives matter”.
‘NOT GOOD ENOUGH’
He said: “There have been so many people who have said ‘oh, it’s not as bad as it used to be’ – that’s not good enough.
“Are you getting stopped by police on a daily basis? Are you not being allowed into certain shops?
“Are you crossing the road because of somebody else fearing for their safety because of the colour of your skin? All of those are down to the colour of your skin.
“Would you swap your place with somebody who is black in today’s society?
“People are saying ‘all lives matter’ – I understand that but black lives matter here and now because they feel marginalised.
“We feel that opportunities aren’t the same as standing next to a white person.”
Meanwhile, players will have a strong voice in the Premier League’s future efforts to tackle racism.
Manchester City star Raheem Sterling wants younger players to be included in a new task force.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said the organisation was speaking to the Sterling camp about having more detailed talks on the issue.
And he insisted he was keen to keep open the communication channels with leading players and managers that have been strengthened during the Covid-19 crisis.
Alexander-Arnold is hoping to be a champion both on and off the pitch
Masters said: “We have our BAME participants’ group which is this group of recently-retired players and some current players in there.
“So we are talking to players and taking their views on board as we shape policies and programmes going forward. I think that’s really important.
“The more continuous dialogue with players via the captains’ group and with managers has been really useful.
“These sort of issues are where we need to understand what players think, because they have strongly-held opinions and you don’t want central policy to be tone deaf to what players are thinking.
“You would much rather it was aligned.”
Aston Villa and Sheffield United players take a knee in support of the Black Lives Matter movement ahead of first game of Premier League return
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
