A Powerful Moment when Rosenior Shatters Obstacles

"Rosenior represents a quality coach that knows football inside out, and that's the most important thing.

"But, as the Blues' first African heritage player, it would be dishonest if I said this moment fails to move me."

These were the words expressed by Paul Canoville, who made his historic first appearance for the Blues' first team off the bench back in the spring of 1982.

This week, Chelsea appointed RC Strasbourg manager Rosenior, 41, as their new head coach after the departure of manager Enzo Maresca.

Strasbourg are within a multi-club BlueCo which also owns the London club.

Statistics show just 12 black managers – excluding those in temporary caretaker positions – in the Premier League since it began 34 years ago.

"What really strikes me regarding Rosenior is that he was raised and played locally, he knows this community," added Canoville.

"Whenever youngsters see someone like Liam in charge of their club, someone they can identify with, who's from their ends, who comes from a family that champions equality… it is impactful demonstrating that opportunities exist.

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

"However, currently? Let's back Liam, provide him with the necessary tools, and let the man do his work."

What Do the Data Show?

The iconic Dutchman Ruud Gullit was appointed the Blues' manager in 1996 thereby becoming the Premier League's first black manager.

A dozen years on, by 2008, Paul Ince became the pioneering English black manager in the top flight when he took over Blackburn Rovers.

The Hammers' boss Nuno Espirito Santo currently stands as the only other current top flight gaffer of colour.

The lack of managers of colour across the English game corresponds with a lack of diversity in the boardroom.

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

However, analysis by the equality organization revealed just 3.2 percent of board and senior leadership management teams at 17 of 20 Premier League clubs are from minority ethnic communities.

At first-team coaching positions, according to data from 11 clubs, the percentage is 2%.

For all coaching roles – including head coaches – from the same eleven clubs, the figure is just five percent.

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

"It is acknowledged that there exists loads of talent that exists in the black and underrepresented groups... aspiring coaches desire a chance to show what they can do. It is imperative to continue to striving to dismantle those barriers down."

Additionally, Rosenior is set to become the fourth full-time British managers currently in the Premier League – alongside Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe and Scott Parker – which trails Europe's remaining major divisions in terms of homegrown representation.

Sixteen of the 20 first division coaches in Serie A are Italian, Eleven of the 20 are Spanish, Twelve in the Bundesliga are German and 10 in Ligue 1 in France.

Current Blues caretaker manager Calum McFarlane commented: "I'm sure all aspiring British managers from an academy background will be, to some degree no matter who you support, rooting for Liam.

"It is really inspirational for young English coaches in the system to see an individual land that job with that profile and we hope he does really well."

It is vital to remember – he's there based on talent'

His father, Leroy, Rosenior Sr., had a career with the likes of West London clubs, the Hammers and Queens Park Rangers, and his coaching stint peaked with a brief spell at then-League One side Brentford back in 2006.

Two years ago, he received an MBE in that year's 2019 New Year Honours for services rendered in combating discrimination within the sport and wider society.

When Rosenior Jr hung up his boots he pursued his father's footsteps. He began penning a column for The Guardian, and in one piece he acknowledged the under-representation among managers. He highlighted that race does not determine coaching skill arguing that roles should be given on merit.

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

In a podcast with The Athletic FC, he explained the way his leading forward, Emmanuel Emegha, had been described as "difficult" or "emotional", noting that he could relate to the Netherlands player of Nigerian descent. Emegha is set to follow him with a move from France to Chelsea in July.

In further Guardian columns, Rosenior also admitted to being "ashamed" upon hearing an unnamed coach make a discriminatory remark. He pledged support for the Premier League's Rainbow Laces campaign and authored a public message to the former US President while he was in office, condemning his "overt" prejudice.

Rosenior has since built his reputation in the dugout – initially with Hull City, then Strasbourg – with Wayne Rooney recently stating Rosenior was "as good a coach as I've ever worked with" following their collaboration with Derby.

The manager bid goodbye to his former club on Tuesday morning before signing a long-term deal at Chelsea.

Chelsea had the top flight's first black manager in Gullit as well as the first black skipper in Paul Elliott.

Elliott later held several senior positions, including the Football Association's equality board|