A Emotional Milestone as Rosenior Breaks Barriers

"Rosenior represents an excellent coach that understands football back to front, and that's the crucial factor.

"However, as Chelsea's first African heritage player, I would be lying if I said this appointment fails to move me."

These were the words of the former Chelsea winger, the man who made his groundbreaking debut for the Blues' first team as a substitute in the spring of 1982.

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

Strasbourg are within the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital-owned ownership group which also controls the London club.

There have been only 12 black managers – not including those holding temporary caretaker positions – in the Premier League since it began 34 in the past.

"What really strikes me about Liam is that he was raised and developed his game locally, he knows the local fans," continued Canoville.

"Whenever kids see a figure like Rosenior in charge of their club, someone they can identify with, who's from their ends, from a family that champions what's right… it is profound and shows them that opportunities exist.

"So yes, this represents a massive step for Chelsea, for London, for every aspiring individual with big dreams.

"But right now? Let's back Liam, provide him with the necessary tools, and allow him to do his work."

What Exactly Do the Statistics Show?

The iconic Dutchman Ruud Gullit became Chelsea head coach back in the nineties thereby becoming the Premier League's first black manager.

A dozen years on, in 2008, Paul Ince became the first black English manager in the Premier League when he took over Blackburn Rovers.

The Hammers' manager Nuno Espirito Santo is the only other present Premier League boss of colour.

The lack of managers of colour throughout English football corresponds with an absence of representation in the boardroom.

As per the BFP 2023 report, forty-three percent of top-flight players are from black heritage.

Yet, research from Kick It Out revealed only 3.2% of board and senior leadership management teams across 17 of 20 Premier League clubs are from ethnically diverse communities.

At senior coaching positions, according to figures from eleven clubs, the percentage is two percent.

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

"He has undoubtedly broken barriers by virtue of his appointment as a the Chelsea manager, and as an organization, we want to witness more such appointments," stated the chief executive of Kick It Out Samuel Okafor.

"It is acknowledged there is a wealth of ability that exists in the black and underrepresented communities... they want a chance to show their capabilities. We need to persist in striving to dismantle those barriers once and for all."

Additionally, Rosenior is set to become the fourth full-time British head coaches currently in the Premier League – joining Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe as well as Scott Parker – a number that lags behind the continent's remaining major leagues regarding homegrown representation.

16 of the 20 first division coaches in Italy are Italian, Eleven of the 20 in Spain, 12 of the 18 in Germany while Ten in Ligue 1 in France.

Current Chelsea interim boss Calum McFarlane said: "I have no doubt every aspiring British managers from an academy background are, to some degree no matter who you support, rooting for Liam.

"It's truly motivating to young English academy coaches to see someone land such a role with his background and we hope he does highly successful."

It is vital to remember – his appointment is due to ability'

His father, Leroy, Rosenior Sr., had a career with clubs such as Fulham, West Ham as well as Queens Park Rangers, and his coaching stint peaked with a brief stint in charge of then-League One side Brentford back in 2006.

Two years ago, he received a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the Honours List for his services in combating inequality in football and wider society.

After Liam hung up his boots he followed his father's footsteps. He started writing a column for The Guardian, where in 2017 he addressed the under-representation of black coaches. He highlighted that race does not influence ability and said opportunities must be awarded based on qualification.

He also made a point he would repeat: how vast lack of diversity results in misunderstandings regarding footballers from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

In a podcast for a football podcast, he explained how his leading forward, Emmanuel Emegha, had been described as "difficult" and "emotional", but said he understood the Netherlands international of Nigerian descent. The striker is expected to follow him in moving from France to West London this summer.

In subsequent Guardian columns, he also confessed he was "ashamed" to hear an unnamed staff member utter a discriminatory remark. He pledged support for the Rainbow Laces initiative and authored an open letter to the former US President while he was in office, condemning his "overt" prejudice.

He has subsequently made his name as a manager – initially with Hull City, later at Strasbourg – with Wayne Rooney recently stating Rosenior was "among the best coaches I've ever worked with" following their time together with Derby.

The manager bid goodbye at Strasbourg on Tuesday morning prior to putting pen to paper on a six‑and‑a‑half‑year deal at Chelsea.

Chelsea had the top flight's pioneering black manager with Gullit as well as the first black captain named Paul Elliott.

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