An Emotional Event as Liam Rosenior Transcends Obstacles

"Rosenior represents an excellent tactician that knows football intimately, and that's what matters most.

"However, in my role as the Blues' pioneering black player, it would be dishonest to claim this moment fails to move me."

Those are the words of Paul Canoville, the man who made his groundbreaking debut for the Blues' first team off the bench in April 1982.

On Tuesday, Chelsea appointed RC Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior, aged 41, to be their new head coach after the exit of Enzo Maresca.

Strasbourg are within the multi-club BlueCo that also controls the London club.

Statistics show just twelve black head coaches – excluding those in interim roles – in the Premier League since its inception 34 years ago.

"What really strikes me about Liam is that he grew up and played locally, he understands the local fans," added Canoville.

"When youngsters see a figure like Rosenior in charge of their club, a person who looks like them, from a similar background, who comes from a household that champions equality… that's profound and shows them that opportunities exist.

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

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

What Does the Data Show?

Dutch legend Ruud Gullit was appointed Chelsea head coach back in the nineties and became the top flight's first black manager.

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

West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo currently stands as the sole additional current top flight boss of colour.

The shortage of ethnic minority managers across the English game corresponds with an absence of representation in the boardroom.

As per the BFP 2023 report, forty-three percent of top-flight footballers are from black backgrounds.

However, analysis from Kick It Out revealed just 3.2 percent of executive and leadership positions across 17 of 20 Premier League clubs are held by people from minority ethnic backgrounds.

Regarding first-team coaching positions, according to data provided by eleven clubs, the percentage stands at 2%.

For all coaching roles – encompassing head coaches – from the same eleven clubs, the figure is just 5%.

"He's certainly made history in terms of his appointment as a Chelsea manager, and as an organization, we want to see more of that," said the chief executive of Kick It Out Samuel Okafor.

"It is acknowledged there is loads of ability that exists within ethnic minority groups... aspiring coaches desire the opportunity to demonstrate what they can do. We need to persist in work hard to dismantle those obstacles down."

Furthermore, Rosenior is set to become one of only four permanent British managers presently in the Premier League – joining Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe as well as Scott Parker – a number that trails the continent's remaining big five divisions regarding national managers.

16 out of twenty top-flight coaches in Italy are from Italy, 11 in La Liga are Spanish, Twelve in the Bundesliga are German while 10 in Ligue 1 are French.

Current Blues caretaker manager Calum McFarlane commented: "I have no doubt every young English coaches from an academy background will be, in some way regardless of allegiance, rooting for Liam.

"It's really motivating for up-and-coming British academy coaches to see someone land such a role with that profile and everyone hopes he does really well."

'Let's not forget – his appointment is on merit'

His father, Leroy, Rosenior Sr., played for clubs such as West London clubs, the Hammers as well as Queens Park Rangers, with his managerial career peaked with a five-month spell in charge of then-League One side Brentford in 2006.

Two years ago, he received an MBE in the Honours List for services rendered to tackling inequality in football and beyond.

After Liam hung up his boots he pursued a path in management. He began writing a column for a national newspaper, where in 2017 he addressed the lack of diversity of black coaches. He pointed out that race does not influence coaching skill and said roles should be given based on qualification.

He also made a point he would repeat: how vast lack of diversity results in misunderstandings of players from different cultural and ethnic heritage.

In a podcast for a football podcast, he explained the way his star striker, Emmanuel Emegha, had been described as "hard to manage" or "passionate", noting that he could relate to the Dutch player with Nigerian parentage. The striker is expected to join him in moving from France to Chelsea this summer.

In subsequent Guardian columns, he also confessed to being "ashamed" upon hearing a staff member utter a discriminatory remark. He pledged his support for the Premier League's inclusion initiative and authored a public message to the former US President while he was in office, condemning his "overt" prejudice.

He has subsequently made his name as a manager – initially with Hull City, later at Strasbourg – and Wayne Rooney said this week he was "as good a coach as I've ever worked with" after their time together at Derby County.

The manager bid goodbye at Strasbourg earlier this week before signing a long-term deal at Chelsea.

The Blues boasted the top flight's pioneering African heritage boss with Gullit and the first black captain in Paul Elliott.

Elliott has since held several senior positions, among them the FA's diversity and inclusion board|