A Historic Event as Liam Rosenior Breaks Obstacles

"He is an excellent coach that knows football inside out, and that's the most important thing.

"However, in my role as Chelsea's first black footballer, I would be lying if I said this moment does not affect me."

These were the sentiments of the former Chelsea winger, the man who earned his historic debut for Chelsea's senior side as a substitute in April 1982.

On Tuesday, Chelsea appointed RC Strasbourg boss Liam Rosenior, 41, as their next head coach after the exit of manager Enzo Maresca.

Strasbourg are part of the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital-owned BlueCo that also owns Chelsea.

There have been only 12 black managers – excluding those holding interim roles – in the Premier League since its inception thirty-four years ago.

"What really strikes me regarding Rosenior is that he was raised and played not far from here, he understands this community," continued Canoville.

"Whenever children observe a figure like Rosenior managing their club, a person who looks like them, from a similar background, from a family that champions equality… it is impactful and shows them the path is there.

"Indeed, it is a huge step for the club, for the capital, for all young person dreaming big.

"However, currently? We must support Rosenior, give him the necessary tools, and allow him to do his work."

What Does the Numbers Indicate?

The iconic Dutchman Ruud Gullit became Chelsea manager back in the nineties thereby becoming the top flight's first African heritage head coach.

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 sole additional current Premier League boss of colour.

The scarcity of managers of colour throughout the English game is matched by an absence of representation at executive level.

According to a Black Footballers Partnership 2023's report, 43% of top-flight footballers are from African or Caribbean heritage.

Yet, analysis by Kick It Out revealed just 3.2 percent of executive and leadership positions at most Premier League clubs are held by people from minority ethnic communities.

Regarding first-team coaching positions, based on data provided by 11 clubs, the percentage is 2%.

Across all coaching positions – encompassing head coaches – from the same eleven clubs, the statistic is five percent.

"He's certainly broken barriers in terms of him being announced as a the Chelsea manager, and we want to witness more such appointments," stated Kick It Out CEO Samuel Okafor.

"We know that there exists a wealth of talent that exists in the black and underrepresented communities... aspiring coaches desire the opportunity to demonstrate their capabilities. We need to continue to striving to dismantle those barriers once and for all."

Furthermore, the new appointee will become one of only four full-time English managers presently in the Premier League – alongside Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe and Scott Parker – which lags behind Europe's other big five divisions in terms of national representation.

16 out of twenty top-flight coaches in Italy are from Italy, Eleven of the 20 are Spanish, 12 of the 18 in Germany while Ten in Ligue 1 in France.

Current Blues caretaker manager Calum McFarlane said: "I'm sure all young English managers with a youth development pedigree are, to some degree regardless of allegiance, rooting for Liam.

"It is really motivating for up-and-coming British coaches in the system to see an individual 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 and Queens Park Rangers, with his managerial career peaked with a brief stint at the third-tier club Brentford back in 2006.

In 2019, he received a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the Honours List for services rendered to tackling inequality within the sport and beyond.

After Liam retired from playing he followed his father's footsteps. He started penning articles for The Guardian, and in one piece he addressed the lack of diversity among managers. He pointed out that race does not influence ability arguing that opportunities should be given based on qualification.

He further expressed a point he has often stated: that significant lack of diversity leads to misunderstandings regarding footballers with diverse cultural and ethnic heritage.

In a podcast with The Athletic FC, Rosenior highlighted the way his star striker, Emmanuel Emegha, was labelled "difficult" and "passionate", noting that he understood the Netherlands international with Nigerian parentage. The striker is expected to follow him in moving from Strasbourg to Chelsea in July.

In subsequent newspaper articles, Rosenior also admitted to being "ashamed" to hear an unnamed staff member utter a discriminatory remark. He pledged his support for the Premier League's Rainbow Laces initiative and authored an open letter to the former US President while he was in office, accusing him of "blatant" racism.

Rosenior has since made his name in the dugout – first at Hull City, then Strasbourg – and Wayne Rooney said this week he was "among the best coaches I've ever worked with" after their time together at Derby County.

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 boss with Gullit and the first black skipper in Paul Elliott.

Elliott later worked in several senior positions, among them the Football Association's equality board|