“Policing language and even legislating against certain behaviours will only go so far to address the pervasive problem of racial bias. To get at the root cause we must have open, honest and sometimes painful conversations.”

Jamaican-born former footballer and manager

John Charles Bryan Barnes is a Jamaican-born former professional footballer and manager. He played for England and is widely remembered for his long spell at Liverpool, where he became one of the club’s standout players. He also works as an author and as a commentator and pundit for ESPN and SuperSport. Barnes began as a fast, skilful left winger before moving into central midfield later in his career. With Liverpool he won two League titles and two FA Cups. He earned 79 caps for England, and his career is often discussed in terms of both his club success and his influence on the national side.