An Emotional Event as Rosenior Shatters Obstacles

"Liam Rosenior is an excellent manager who understands the game inside out, and that's the most important thing.

"However, in my role as the Blues' pioneering black footballer, it would be dishonest if I said this appointment doesn't move me."

Those are the words of the former Chelsea winger, who made his historic debut for the Blues' first team as a substitute in the spring of 1982.

This week, the club named RC Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior, aged 41, as their next head coach after the departure of Enzo Maresca.

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

Statistics show only twelve black managers – not including those in interim roles – in England's top flight since its inception 34 in the past.

"What really strikes me about Liam is that he was raised and played locally, he knows this area," added Canoville.

"Whenever kids observe a figure like Rosenior in charge of their club, a person who looks like them, who's from their ends, from a household that fights for equality… that's impactful demonstrating the path is there.

"So yes, it is a massive moment for Chelsea, for the capital, for every aspiring individual with big dreams.

"However, currently? We must support Rosenior, give him what he needs, and allow him to get on with the job."

What Exactly Does the Numbers Indicate?

Dutch legend Ruud Gullit became the Blues' manager back in the nineties and became the Premier League's first African heritage manager.

Twelve years later, by 2008, Paul Ince became the first black English manager in the top flight when he took over Blackburn Rovers.

West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo is the sole additional current top flight gaffer of colour.

The lack of managers of colour across the English game is matched by a lack of diversity in the boardroom.

According to a BFP 2023 report, 43% of Premier League players come from black heritage.

However, analysis by the equality organization found just 3.2% of executive and leadership management teams across most Premier League clubs are held by people from minority ethnic communities.

At first-team coaching positions, according to figures provided by eleven clubs, the percentage is two percent.

For all coaching roles – encompassing senior roles – from those same 11 clubs, the figure is 5%.

"He's certainly made history in terms of his appointment as a Chelsea manager, and we hope to see more of that," said Kick It Out CEO Samuel Okafor.

"It is acknowledged there is a wealth of talent present in the ethnic minority groups... they desire the opportunity to demonstrate what they can do. We need to continue to striving to break those obstacles down."

Furthermore, the new appointee will become the fourth full-time English head coaches currently in the Premier League – joining Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe and Scott Parker – which trails Europe's remaining big five divisions in terms of homegrown representation.

16 out of twenty top-flight coaches in Serie A are Italian, Eleven in La Liga are Spanish, Twelve of the 18 in Germany and 10 of the 18 are French.

The present Chelsea caretaker manager Calum McFarlane said: "I have no doubt every young English coaches with a youth development pedigree will be, in some way regardless of allegiance, rooting for Liam.

"It is really motivating for up-and-coming British academy coaches to see an individual land that job with his background and we hope he does highly successful."

'Let's not forget – his appointment is on merit'

Leroy Rosenior, Liam's father, played for the likes of Fulham, West Ham and Queens Park Rangers, with his coaching stint peaked with a five-month spell at then-League One side Brentford FC in 2006.

Two years ago, he received a Member of the Order of the British Empire in that year's Honours List for his services to tackling inequality within the sport and beyond.

After Liam hung up his boots he pursued his father's footsteps. He started writing articles for The Guardian, and in one piece he addressed the under-representation of black coaches. He pointed out that race does not influence ability and said opportunities must be awarded on merit.

He further expressed the view he has often stated: how significant lack of diversity leads to a failure to understand of players from different ethnic and cultural heritage.

In a podcast with The Athletic FC, he explained how his star striker, Emmanuel Emegha, was labelled "difficult" or "passionate", but said he could relate to the Netherlands international of Nigerian descent. Emegha is set to join him with a move from Strasbourg to West London in July.

In subsequent Guardian columns, Rosenior also admitted to being "ashamed" to hear a staff member utter a discriminatory remark. He pledged his support for the inclusion campaign and authored an open letter to Donald Trump during his first US presidency, accusing him of "blatant" prejudice.

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

Rosenior said his farewells at Strasbourg on Tuesday morning before signing a six‑and‑a‑half‑year deal with the Blues.

Chelsea boasted the top flight's pioneering African heritage boss in Gullit and the first black captain in Paul Elliott.

Elliott has since worked in multiple senior positions, including the Football Association's diversity and inclusion board|