Former Liverpool and England legend Barnes says white managers walk back into jobs when they are sacked but the colour of his skin has prevented him being given another chance.
Barnes, who bossed Celtic, Jamaica and Tranmere, last worked as a manager in 2009 and is keen to get another job but says his path has been blocked by a lack of chances for ethnic minorities.
Barnes, 51, said: “A white manager loses his job and gets another job, he loses his job, he gets another job.
“Very few black managers can lose their job and get another job.
“What I can judge it from is by looking at society. How many black people are there in the higher echelons of any industry? We can talk about journalism, we can talk about politics. So why should football be any different?”
Jamaican-born Barnes had a disastrous spell in charge of Celtic which came at the end of his glorious playing career 16 years ago.
But Barnes, in an interview with ITV Life Stories, insists it was not too soon for him in his career and claims there remains a “perception” as to who will make a good manager.
Barnes added: “Well if it comes now at 51, I don’t think it will be any different. It’s more to do with the perception of my ability to do the job, because there’s a certain perception of who can make a good manager.”
There are just six managers in the Premier League and Football League from black and minority ethnic backgrounds.
Barnes’ former England team mate Ian Wright backed up the view that black managers are not being given a chance.
Wright added: “With someone of John Barnes’ ability and stature, to not have worked more in the game with something that he’s desperate to do, I don’t know what else it can be?”
John Barnes: Sports Life Stories is shown on ITV4 at 10.10pm on Tuesday.
Managers from black and minority ethnic backgrounds currently employed by English football’s 92 senior clubs
Chris Ramsey, QPR (Premier League)
Chris Powell, Huddersfield (Championship)
Chris Hughton, Brighton (Championship)
Fabio Liverani, Leyton Orient (League One)
Keith Curle, Carlisle (League Two)
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Burton Albion (League Two)
Is racism or his record preventing John Barnes from getting another chance in management?