A Moving Moment as Rosenior Breaks Obstacles

"Liam Rosenior is an excellent coach who knows the game inside out, which is what matters most.

"But, as Chelsea's pioneering African heritage footballer, I would be lying if I said this news fails to move me."

Those are the words of Paul Canoville, the man who earned his groundbreaking first appearance for Chelsea's senior side as a substitute in April 1982.

On Tuesday, the club appointed Strasbourg boss Rosenior, aged 41, as their new head coach following the departure of manager Enzo Maresca.

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

There have been a mere 12 black managers – excluding those in temporary caretaker roles – in the Premier League since it began 34 in the past.

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

"When youngsters see a figure like Rosenior in charge of the team they support, a person who looks like them, from a similar background, from a family that fights for what's right… it is profound demonstrating the path is there.

"Indeed, it is a massive moment for Chelsea, for the capital, for all aspiring individual dreaming big.

"But right now? Let's back Liam, provide him with what he needs, and allow him to get on with the job."

What Does the Data Indicate?

The iconic Dutchman Ruud Gullit was appointed the Blues' head coach back in the nineties and became the Premier League's inaugural black manager.

Twelve years later, in 2008, Paul Ince became the first black English boss in the top flight after taking charge at Blackburn Rovers.

West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo is the only other current Premier League boss of colour.

The lack of ethnic minority managers throughout English football corresponds with a lack of diversity in the boardroom.

According to a BFP 2023's study, forty-three percent of Premier League players come from black heritage.

Yet, analysis from the equality organization found just 3.2% of board and senior leadership positions across most Premier League clubs are from ethnically diverse backgrounds.

Regarding senior coaching positions, based on data provided by eleven clubs, the figure stands at two percent.

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

"He has undoubtedly made history by virtue of his appointment as Chelsea head coach, and as an organization, we want to see more of that," said the chief executive of Kick It Out Samuel Okafor.

"It is acknowledged that there exists a wealth of ability that exists within black and underrepresented communities... they desire the opportunity to show what they can do. We need to persist in work hard to dismantle those obstacles down."

Additionally, Rosenior is set to become one of only four permanent English head coaches currently managing in the top flight – alongside Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe and Scott Parker – a number that lags behind Europe's other big five leagues in terms of national representation.

16 out of twenty first division coaches in Serie A are from Italy, 11 of the 20 are Spanish, 12 in the Bundesliga are German and Ten of the 18 are French.

The present Chelsea interim boss Calum McFarlane said: "I'm sure every young English managers with a youth development pedigree are, in some way regardless of allegiance, supporting Liam.

"It's really inspirational for young English academy coaches to witness an individual land such a role with that profile and we hope he does really well."

It is vital to remember – he's there due to ability'

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

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

When Rosenior Jr hung up his boots he pursued a path in management. He began penning articles for a national newspaper, where in 2017 he acknowledged the under-representation among managers. He pointed out that ethnicity does not determine ability arguing that opportunities must be awarded based on qualification.

He further expressed a point he would repeat: how significant under-representation leads to a failure to understand of players with diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

During an interview for a football podcast, Rosenior highlighted the way his leading forward, Emmanuel Emegha, was labelled "difficult" and "passionate", but said he understood the Netherlands player of Nigerian descent. The striker is expected to join him in moving from France to West London this summer.

In subsequent newspaper articles, he also confessed to being "embarrassed" to hear a coach utter a discriminatory remark. He vowed support for the Premier League's Rainbow Laces initiative and authored a public message to the former US President while he was in office, accusing him of "blatant" racism.

Rosenior has since built his reputation as a manager – first at Hull City, then Strasbourg – and Wayne Rooney said this week he was "as good a coach as I've ever worked with" following their time together with Derby.

The manager bid his farewells to his former club earlier this week before signing a six‑and‑a‑half‑year contract with the Blues.

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

Elliott has since worked in several executive roles, among them the Football Association's equality board|