An Powerful Event when Rosenior Breaks Barriers

"Liam Rosenior is an excellent manager who understands the game back to front, and that's what matters most.

"However, in my role as the Blues' pioneering African heritage player, I would be lying if I said this news fails to move me."

Those are the words expressed by the former Chelsea winger, who made his groundbreaking debut for Chelsea's senior side off the bench back in the spring of 1982.

This week, the club appointed RC Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior, aged 41, as their new head coach following the exit of Enzo Maresca.

The French club is part of the multi-club ownership group which also controls the London club.

Statistics show only twelve black managers – excluding individuals holding temporary caretaker positions – in the Premier League since its inception thirty-four years ago.

"What really strikes me about Liam is that he grew up and played locally, he understands this community," continued Canoville.

"When children see someone like Liam managing the team they support, a person they can identify with, who's from their ends, who comes from a family that fights for equality… it is powerful demonstrating that opportunities exist.

"So yes, this represents a massive moment for the club, for the capital, for all aspiring individual dreaming big.

"But right now? Let's back Liam, give him what he needs, and allow him to get on with the job."

What Do the Statistics Reveal?

The iconic Dutchman Ruud Gullit was appointed Chelsea head coach back in the nineties thereby becoming the top flight's inaugural black manager.

Twelve years later, by 2008, Paul Ince was appointed as the pioneering black English manager in the Premier League when he took over Blackburn Rovers.

The Hammers' manager Nuno Espirito Santo currently stands as the only other current Premier League boss from a minority ethnic background.

The shortage of managers of colour throughout English football is matched by an absence of diversity in the boardroom.

According to a BFP 2023's study, 43% of Premier League players are from African or Caribbean backgrounds.

Yet, research from the equality organization found just 3.2% of executive and leadership positions at most Premier League clubs are held by people from ethnically diverse backgrounds.

At first-team coaching positions, based on figures provided by 11 clubs, the figure is 2%.

Across all coaching positions – including head coaches – from those same eleven clubs, the figure is five percent.

"He's certainly made history by virtue of him being announced as Chelsea head coach, and we hope to witness more such appointments," stated the chief executive of Kick It Out Samuel Okafor.

"We know there is a wealth of talent present in the black and underrepresented groups... they desire the opportunity to demonstrate what they can do. We need to persist in striving to break those obstacles once and for all."

Additionally, Rosenior is set to become the fourth full-time English managers presently managing in the top flight – alongside Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe and Scott Parker – a number that lags behind the continent's other major leagues regarding homegrown managers.

16 out of twenty first division managers in Italy are from Italy, 11 in La Liga in Spain, Twelve in the Bundesliga are German and 10 in Ligue 1 in France.

The present Chelsea interim boss Calum McFarlane said: "I have no doubt every aspiring British coaches with a youth development pedigree will be, to some degree regardless of allegiance, supporting Liam.

"It's really inspirational to up-and-coming British coaches in the system to witness someone land such a role with his background and we hope he will be highly successful."

'Let's not forget – his appointment is based on talent'

His father, Leroy, Rosenior Sr., played for the likes of Fulham, West Ham as well as Queens Park Rangers, with his managerial career peaked with a brief stint in charge of the third-tier club Brentford in 2006.

In 2019, he received an MBE in that year's Honours List for his services to tackling discrimination within the sport and wider society.

After Liam hung up his boots he followed his father's footsteps. He started writing a column for a national newspaper, and in one piece he acknowledged the under-representation of black coaches. He highlighted that race does not influence coaching skill arguing that roles should be given based on qualification.

He also made the view he has often stated: that significant lack of diversity results in misunderstandings of players with diverse cultural and ethnic heritage.

In a podcast with The Athletic FC, Rosenior highlighted how his leading forward, Emmanuel Emegha, had been described as "difficult" and "emotional", noting that he could relate to the Dutch international of Nigerian descent. Emegha is set to join him in moving from France to Chelsea this summer.

In further Guardian columns, Rosenior also admitted to being "embarrassed" upon hearing an unnamed coach utter a discriminatory remark. He pledged support for the Rainbow Laces campaign and wrote a public message to Donald Trump while he was in office, condemning his "overt" prejudice.

Rosenior has since built his reputation in the dugout – first at Hull City, later at Strasbourg – with Wayne Rooney said this week Rosenior was "among the best coaches I've ever worked with" following their time together at Derby County.

The manager bid his farewells at Strasbourg on Tuesday morning before signing a long-term deal with the Blues.

The Blues boasted the Premier League's pioneering African heritage boss with Gullit as well as the first black captain named Paul Elliott.

Elliott later held multiple senior positions, among them the FA's equality board|