Former Aston Villa and Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke has said racism remains a barrier to black players who seek to go into management.
Ex-Trinidad and Tobago international Yorke has had brief stints as assistant to Ricky Sbragia at Sunderland and with his country during the 2010 World Cup qualification campaign but has spent recent years working as a pundit.
The 44-year-old, who has expressed an interest in the Villa job on several occasions during the club's recent struggles, told beIN Sports: "I'm still looking to get in.
"I've done all the coaching badges at St George's [Park National Football Centre] and the one thing I find very difficult, let alone get a job, is [to] even get an interview. I'm finding it very, very difficult at the moment.
"Yes, you are doing all your coaching, all your badges, but then when it comes to getting a job, you are not even getting an interview.
"It's all about who you know as well, that has to play a role. Despite all my experience of being a player, I've never had the experience of being a manager, which is a different concept from being a coach."
Chris Ramsey, who managed Queens Park Rangers between February and November last year, was the last black Premier League boss.
There are currently two black managers in the Championship -- QPR's Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Brighton's Chris Hughton -- but Yorke suggested he would be keen to see a version of the "Rooney rule" adopted to ensure more black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) coaches are given interviews.
Asked whether his difficulties are down to his lack of experience or racism, Yorke said: "I think there's a bit of both there. I genuinely think there's a bit of both.
"It's often been discussed, no one has really taken it up, but I do have a tendency when I speak to everybody ... certainly black players who are trying to break into the managerial department find they are all coming up against the same concept of 'because of your race.'
"You keep constantly hitting a wall, and you keep constantly not getting anywhere, and even at this stage with all the noises that I've made -- I've even tried to get in at Villa at this point in time.
"What I'm saying is that it would have been nice to just [have others] hear your thoughts.
"Even though you think, 'OK, maybe you will never be given a chance to be a manager,' but it would be nice to go in there and present yourself, and let people get to know the person and say, 'OK, Dwight, we like your concept, but you're not experienced enough. Go away and do this or do that.'"