An Moving Milestone when Rosenior Overcomes Barriers

"Liam Rosenior is a top manager who knows football intimately, which is what matters most.

"But, as Chelsea's first black footballer, it would be dishonest if I said this moment doesn't move me."

These were the sentiments expressed by the former Chelsea winger, the man who earned his historic debut for Chelsea's senior side off the bench in the spring of 1982.

On Tuesday, the club appointed Strasbourg manager Rosenior, aged 41, as their next manager following the exit of manager Enzo Maresca.

Strasbourg are part of the multi-club ownership group that also owns the London club.

There have been only 12 of African or Caribbean heritage head coaches – excluding individuals holding interim positions – in the Premier League since it began thirty-four years ago.

"What really strikes me about Liam is he grew up and developed his game not far from here, he knows this community," added Canoville.

"Whenever children observe someone like Liam in charge of their club, someone they can identify with, who's from their ends, from a family that fights for equality… that's powerful and shows them the path is there.

"So yes, it is an enormous step for the club, for the capital, for all young person dreaming big.

"But right now? We must support Rosenior, give him the necessary tools, and allow him to do his work."

What Do the Data Indicate?

The iconic Dutchman Ruud Gullit became Chelsea head coach back in the nineties thereby becoming the top flight's inaugural black head coach.

Twelve years later, by 2008, Paul Ince was appointed as the pioneering English black boss in the top flight after taking charge at Blackburn Rovers.

West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo currently stands as the sole additional current Premier League gaffer of colour.

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

As per the Black Footballers Partnership 2023's study, 43% of top-flight footballers are from black backgrounds.

However, analysis by Kick It Out revealed just 3.2 percent of board and senior leadership positions at most Premier League clubs are held by people from minority ethnic backgrounds.

At first-team coaching positions, based on figures from 11 clubs, the percentage is 2%.

For all coaching positions – including head coaches – from those same eleven clubs, the figure is just 5%.

"He has undoubtedly broken barriers in terms of him being announced as a the Chelsea head coach, and we hope to see more of that," stated the chief executive of Kick It Out Samuel Okafor.

"It is acknowledged that there exists a wealth of ability present within black and underrepresented groups... they want the opportunity to demonstrate their capabilities. It is imperative to persist in work hard to break those obstacles once and for all."

Furthermore, the new appointee is set to become the fourth full-time English head coaches presently managing in the top flight – joining Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe as well as Scott Parker – a number that trails Europe's remaining big five leagues regarding national representation.

Sixteen of the 20 first division coaches in Italy are from Italy, Eleven of the 20 in Spain, 12 of the 18 are German and Ten of the 18 are French.

The present Blues interim boss Calum McFarlane said: "I'm sure all aspiring British managers with a youth development pedigree are, to some degree no matter who you support, supporting Liam.

"It is truly inspirational to young English academy coaches to witness an individual land that job with his background and we hope he does highly successful."

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

Leroy Rosenior, Liam's father, played for clubs such as West London clubs, West Ham as well as Queens Park Rangers, with his managerial career peaked with a five-month spell at the third-tier club Brentford FC back in 2006.

In 2019, he received an MBE in that year's 2019 New Year Honours for services rendered in combating discrimination within the sport and beyond.

After Liam hung up his boots he followed a path in management. He started penning a column for a national newspaper, where in 2017 he acknowledged the under-representation among managers. He highlighted that race does not influence ability and said opportunities should be given on merit.

He further expressed a point he would repeat: that vast under-representation leads to misunderstandings of players from different cultural and ethnic heritage.

In a podcast for a football podcast, Rosenior highlighted the way his leading forward, Emmanuel Emegha, was labelled "difficult" or "emotional", noting that he understood the Netherlands international with Nigerian parentage. Emegha is set to join him with a move from Strasbourg to Chelsea in July.

In subsequent Guardian columns, he also confessed he was "embarrassed" upon hearing an unnamed coach utter a homophobic slur. He vowed support for the inclusion campaign and authored a public message to the former US President during his first US presidency, accusing him of "blatant" racism.

Rosenior has since made his name as a manager – initially with Hull City, later at Strasbourg – and Wayne Rooney recently stating Rosenior was "among the best coaches I've ever worked with" after their collaboration at Derby County.

Rosenior said his farewells at Strasbourg earlier this week before signing a long-term deal at Chelsea.

The Blues had the Premier League's pioneering black manager in Gullit as well as the first black skipper named Paul Elliott.

Elliott later worked in multiple executive roles, among them the Football Association's diversity and inclusion board|