An Moving Event as Rosenior Breaks Obstacles

"Liam Rosenior is an excellent manager that understands the game back to front, which is what matters most.

"But, as Chelsea's pioneering black footballer, I would be lying to claim this moment does not affect me."

Those are the sentiments expressed by Paul Canoville, the man who earned his historic debut for the Blues' first team as a substitute in April 1982.

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

Strasbourg are within a multi-club ownership group which also controls Chelsea.

There have been only 12 black managers – not including individuals holding interim positions – in England's top flight since its inception thirty-four years ago.

"One thing that impresses me about Liam is that he grew up and played locally, he knows this area," added Canoville.

"When youngsters observe a figure like Rosenior managing their club, a person who looks like them, from a similar background, who comes from a household that champions what's right… it is powerful and shows them that opportunities exist.

"Indeed, it is a massive moment for the club, for London, for all young person with big dreams.

"But right now? We must support Rosenior, provide him with what he needs, and allow him to get on with the job."

What Exactly Does the Numbers Reveal?

Dutch legend Ruud Gullit became Chelsea head coach in 1996 and became the top flight's first black manager.

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

West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo is the sole additional current Premier League boss of colour.

The shortage of managers of colour throughout English football corresponds with a lack of diversity in the boardroom.

As per the Black Footballers Partnership 2023 report, 43% of top-flight footballers are from African or Caribbean heritage.

Yet, research from Kick It Out found only 3.2% of executive and leadership management teams at most Premier League clubs are from ethnically diverse communities.

Regarding first-team coaching positions, according to figures provided by 11 clubs, the figure stands at 2%.

For all coaching roles – encompassing senior roles – from those same 11 clubs, the statistic is just five percent.

"He has undoubtedly made history in terms of him being announced as a Chelsea head coach, and as an organization, we hope to witness more such appointments," stated the chief executive of Kick It Out Samuel Okafor.

"We know there is loads of talent that exists in the black and underrepresented communities... aspiring coaches desire a chance to show what they can do. We need to continue to work hard to break those obstacles once and for all."

Furthermore, the new appointee will become one of only four full-time English head coaches presently in the Premier League – joining Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe and Scott Parker – a number that lags behind the continent's remaining major divisions regarding national representation.

16 out of twenty top-flight coaches in Serie A are from Italy, Eleven in La Liga in Spain, 12 in the Bundesliga are German and Ten of the 18 are French.

Current Chelsea interim boss Calum McFarlane said: "I have no doubt every aspiring British coaches with a youth development pedigree will be, to some degree regardless of allegiance, supporting Liam.

"It's truly motivating to young English academy coaches to see an individual get that job with that profile and everyone hopes he will be really well."

'Let's not forget – his appointment is based on talent'

Leroy Rosenior, Liam's father, played for the likes of Fulham, the Hammers as well as Queens Park Rangers, and his coaching stint peaked with a five-month spell in charge of then-League One side Brentford FC in 2006.

Two years ago, he was awarded an MBE in that year's 2019 New Year Honours for services rendered to tackling inequality in football and beyond.

When Rosenior Jr retired from playing he followed a path in management. He started writing articles for a national newspaper, where in 2017 he addressed the lack of diversity of black coaches. He pointed out that ethnicity does not determine ability arguing that roles must be awarded on merit.

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

In a podcast for a football podcast, Rosenior highlighted the way his star striker, Emmanuel Emegha, was labelled "hard to manage" and "emotional", noting that he understood the Netherlands international with Nigerian parentage. The striker is expected to join him in moving from Strasbourg to Chelsea this summer.

In subsequent Guardian columns, Rosenior also admitted he was "embarrassed" to hear a staff member utter a homophobic slur. He vowed his support for the Rainbow Laces campaign and wrote an open letter to Donald Trump while he was in office, accusing him of "overt" racism.

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

The manager bid goodbye to his former club earlier this week prior to putting pen to paper on a six‑and‑a‑half‑year deal with the Blues.

The Blues boasted the Premier League's pioneering black boss with Gullit and the first black skipper named Paul Elliott.

Elliott later worked in several senior positions, including the FA's diversity and inclusion board|