A Emotional Event as Rosenior Breaks Barriers

"He is a quality manager who understands football inside out, and that's the most important thing.

"But, in my role as the Blues' first black player, it would be dishonest if I said this appointment fails to move me."

Those are the sentiments of Paul Canoville, who earned his groundbreaking first appearance for Chelsea's senior side as a substitute in the spring of 1982.

This week, Chelsea named RC Strasbourg manager Rosenior, aged 41, to be their next head coach following the exit of manager Enzo Maresca.

The French club is within a Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital-owned ownership group which also controls Chelsea.

Statistics show only twelve black managers – not including those holding temporary caretaker positions – in England's top flight since its inception thirty-four years ago.

"What really strikes me regarding Rosenior is that he grew up and played locally, he understands this community," added Canoville.

"When kids see someone like Liam in charge of their club, someone who looks like them, who's from their ends, who comes from a family that fights for what's right… that's powerful demonstrating the path is there.

"So yes, this represents a huge moment for the club, for the capital, for all young person with big dreams.

"However, currently? Let's back Liam, give him what he needs, and let the man get on with the job."

What Do the Statistics Reveal?

Dutch legend Ruud Gullit became Chelsea head coach in 1996 thereby becoming the Premier League's inaugural African heritage manager.

A dozen years on, by 2008, Paul Ince was appointed as the first English black boss in the Premier League after taking charge at Blackburn Rovers.

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

The shortage of ethnic minority managers across English football is matched by a lack of diversity at executive level.

As per a Black Footballers Partnership 2023's report, 43% of top-flight players are from black heritage.

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

At first-team coaching positions, based on data provided by eleven clubs, the percentage stands at 2%.

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

"He has undoubtedly broken barriers by virtue of him being announced as a Chelsea manager, and as an organization, we want to see more of that," said Kick It Out CEO Samuel Okafor.

"It is acknowledged that there exists loads of ability present within ethnic minority groups... they desire a chance to show their capabilities. We need to continue to work hard to break those obstacles once and for all."

Additionally, the new appointee will become the fourth full-time English managers currently managing in the top flight – joining Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe and Scott Parker – a number that lags behind Europe's remaining big five leagues in terms of homegrown managers.

16 out of twenty first division managers in Italy are from Italy, Eleven in La Liga in Spain, Twelve in the Bundesliga in Germany and Ten in Ligue 1 in France.

Current Blues caretaker manager Calum McFarlane commented: "I have no doubt all aspiring British managers with a youth development pedigree are, in some way no matter who you support, rooting for Liam.

"It's really inspirational for young English coaches in the system to witness someone get such a role with his background and everyone hopes he does highly successful."

'Let's not forget – he's there due to ability'

His father, Leroy, Liam's father, had a career with the likes of West London clubs, West Ham and Queens Park Rangers, and his coaching stint peaked with a brief spell in charge of the third-tier club Brentford FC back in 2006.

Two years ago, he received a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the Honours List for services rendered to tackling discrimination within the sport and wider society.

After Liam retired from playing he followed his father's footsteps. He began writing articles for The Guardian, where in 2017 he addressed the under-representation of black coaches. He pointed out that ethnicity does not determine coaching skill and said opportunities should be given on merit.

He further expressed the view he has often stated: how vast under-representation leads to misunderstandings regarding footballers with diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

In a podcast with The Athletic FC, Rosenior highlighted the way his star striker, Emmanuel Emegha, had been described as "difficult" and "emotional", but said he could relate to the Netherlands player with Nigerian parentage. The striker is expected to follow him with a move from Strasbourg to Chelsea this summer.

In further Guardian columns, Rosenior also admitted to being "ashamed" upon hearing an unnamed staff member utter a discriminatory remark. He pledged support for the inclusion campaign and wrote an open letter to the former US President during his first US presidency, accusing him of "blatant" racism.

He has subsequently built his reputation as a manager – initially with Hull City, later at Strasbourg – and Wayne Rooney said this week he was "as good a coach as I've ever worked with" after their collaboration with Derby.

The manager bid goodbye at Strasbourg earlier this week prior to putting pen to paper on a long-term deal with the Blues.

The Blues boasted the top flight's first black manager in Gullit and the first black skipper named Paul Elliott.

Elliott later held several executive roles, among them the FA's diversity and inclusion board|