Manchester City's Raheem Sterling calls for more coaches of 'different ethnicities' in British football

Manchester City player has backed anti-racism protests in Britain after the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis

Raheem Sterling had a fine goalscoring season before the lockdown, starting with netting City's goal in the Community Shield at Wembley. City drew 1-1 with Liverpool and then won on penalties. Reuters

Sterling opened the Premier League campaign with a hat-trick in the 5-0 win at West Ham. AFP

Raheem Sterling was on target again when City beat Dinamo Zagreb 2-0 in the Champions League. PA

Sterling celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the 2-2 Premier League draw between Manchester City and Tottenham at the Etihad. AFP

Sterling scored the goal against Atalanta in the 1-1 draw at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium. AFP

Sterling scores City's third in 3-1 win at Everton. Reuters

Manchester City beat Aston Villa 3-0 at the Etihad Stadium, with Sterling scoring the first goal. Reuters

Sterling celebrates scoring City's second goal during the 3-1 Premier League win at Bournemouth. AFP

Manchester City beat Atalanta 5-1 at home, and another hat-trick for Sterling. Reuters

Sterling scores City's fifth, and completes his hat-trick, in the 5-1 win over Atalanta in the Champions League. Reuters

Manchester City's Raheem Sterling celebrates scoring in the 2-2 draw at Newcastle. Reuters

Manchester City's Raheem Sterling has called on British football to address a lack of representation for racial minorities in coaching positions and the sport's hierarchy to advance the fight against racism.

Sterling has backed anti-racism protests in Britain after the death of unarmed black man George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis.

"There's something like 500 players in the Premier League and a third of them are black and we have no representation in the hierarchy ... or in the coaching staff," the 25-year-old England international told the BBC.

"The coaching staff that you see around football clubs: there's Steven Gerrard, your Frank Lampards, your Sol Campbells and your Ashley Coles. All had great careers, all played for England.

"They've all respectfully done their coaching badges ... and the two that haven't been given the right opportunities are the two black former players."

Change would only be felt when there was a more diverse mix in the hierarchy of English football, Sterling added.

"The change is being able to speak to people in Parliament ... clubs across the country, people at the national team of England, to implement change and give equal chances to not just black coaches but also different ethnicities," he said.