A Historic Moment as Rosenior Breaks Obstacles

"He is an excellent coach who knows football inside out, which is the crucial factor.

"But, as Chelsea's pioneering African heritage footballer, I would be lying to claim this appointment does not affect me."

Those are the sentiments of the former Chelsea winger, who made his historic debut for the Blues' first team off the bench in April 1982.

This week, the club named RC Strasbourg boss Liam Rosenior, aged 41, to be their next head coach following the departure of manager Enzo Maresca.

The French club is within a Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital-owned BlueCo that also owns the London club.

There have been just twelve of African or Caribbean heritage managers – not including those holding interim roles – in England's top flight since it began 34 years ago.

"What really strikes me regarding Rosenior is he grew up and played not far from here, he understands this community," added Canoville.

"Whenever kids see someone like Liam managing their club, a person they can identify with, who's from their ends, from a household that champions equality… that's powerful and shows them that opportunities exist.

"Indeed, this represents a huge step for Chelsea, for the capital, for every aspiring individual dreaming big.

"However, currently? Let's back Liam, provide him with what he needs, and allow him to do his work."

What Do the Data Indicate?

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

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

West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo currently stands as the only other current Premier League gaffer of colour.

The lack of managers of colour across English football is matched by an absence of representation in the boardroom.

According to a BFP 2023's study, forty-three percent of top-flight footballers come from African or Caribbean backgrounds.

Yet, research by the equality organization found only 3.2 percent of board and senior leadership positions at 17 of 20 Premier League clubs are from ethnically diverse communities.

At senior coaching level, according to data from 11 clubs, the percentage stands at 2%.

For all coaching positions – including senior roles – from those same 11 clubs, the figure is just five percent.

"He has undoubtedly made history by virtue of his appointment as a Chelsea head coach, and as an organization, we want to see more of that," stated Kick It Out CEO Samuel Okafor.

"We know there is a wealth of ability present in the black and underrepresented groups... aspiring coaches want the opportunity to show their capabilities. It is imperative to continue to work hard to break those barriers once and for all."

Additionally, the new appointee is set to become the fourth permanent English managers currently in the Premier League – joining Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe as well as Scott Parker – which lags behind Europe's remaining major leagues regarding homegrown representation.

16 out of twenty top-flight coaches in Serie A are from Italy, 11 in La Liga are Spanish, 12 of the 18 are German while Ten in Ligue 1 in France.

Current Blues caretaker manager Calum McFarlane said: "I'm sure all young English managers from an academy background are, in some way regardless of allegiance, rooting for Liam.

"It is really motivating to young English coaches in the system to see someone land that job with his background and everyone hopes he will be highly successful."

It is vital to remember – he's there on merit'

His father, Leroy, Liam's father, had a career with clubs such as West London clubs, West Ham as well as Queens Park Rangers, and his managerial career culminating in a five-month stint in charge of the third-tier club Brentford back in 2006.

In 2019, he received a Member of the Order of the British Empire in that year's 2019 New Year Honours for services rendered in combating discrimination in football and beyond.

When Rosenior Jr retired from playing he followed his father's footsteps. He started writing articles for a national newspaper, and in one piece he acknowledged the under-representation of black coaches. He pointed out that race does not determine ability arguing that roles should be given on merit.

He also made a point he would repeat: that significant lack of diversity leads to a failure to understand of players from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

During an interview with The Athletic FC, he explained how his star striker, Emmanuel Emegha, had been described as "hard to manage" or "emotional", but said he could relate to the Dutch international with Nigerian parentage. The striker is expected to follow him with a move from Strasbourg to Chelsea in July.

In subsequent Guardian columns, Rosenior also admitted he was "ashamed" upon hearing a staff member utter a discriminatory remark. He pledged his support for the Premier League's inclusion campaign and authored a public message to the former US President while he was in office, accusing him of "blatant" prejudice.

Rosenior has since built his reputation as a manager – initially with Hull City, then Strasbourg – with Wayne Rooney recently stating Rosenior was "among the best coaches I've ever worked with" after their time together at Derby County.

Rosenior said his farewells to his former club on Tuesday morning prior to putting pen to paper on a long-term contract with the Blues.

The Blues had the Premier League's first black manager in Gullit as well as the first black skipper named Paul Elliott.

Elliott later worked in several senior positions, among them the FA's diversity and inclusion board|