A Emotional Event when Liam Rosenior Shatters Barriers

"He is a quality manager who understands the game inside out, which is the crucial factor.

"But, in my role as the Blues' first black player, I would be lying to claim this appointment doesn't move me."

Those are the words expressed by Paul Canoville, who earned his groundbreaking first appearance for the Blues' first team as a substitute in April 1982.

This week, the club appointed RC Strasbourg boss Rosenior, aged 41, as their next head coach following the departure of manager Enzo Maresca.

The French club is part of the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital-owned ownership group that also controls Chelsea.

There have been just twelve black head coaches – excluding individuals holding temporary caretaker positions – in the Premier League since it began 34 in the past.

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

"Whenever youngsters observe a figure like Rosenior in charge of the team they support, a person they can identify with, who's from their ends, who comes from a household that fights for equality… that's profound demonstrating the path is there.

"So yes, it is a huge step for Chelsea, for London, for all young person with big dreams.

"However, currently? Let's back Liam, give him what he needs, and let the man get on with the job."

What Do the Numbers Reveal?

Dutch legend Ruud Gullit was appointed the Blues' head coach back in the nineties thereby becoming the Premier League's first black manager.

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

West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo is the sole additional current top flight boss from a minority ethnic background.

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

According to the Black Footballers Partnership 2023's report, forty-three percent of Premier League footballers are from African or Caribbean heritage.

Yet, research from the equality organization found only 3.2 percent of executive and leadership management teams at 17 of 20 Premier League clubs are from minority ethnic backgrounds.

Regarding senior coaching level, according to data provided by eleven clubs, the percentage is two percent.

Across all coaching roles – including senior roles – from the same 11 clubs, the statistic is 5%.

"He has undoubtedly made history in terms of his appointment as the Chelsea manager, and we want to see more of that," said Kick It Out CEO Samuel Okafor.

"It is acknowledged that there exists loads of talent present in the ethnic minority groups... aspiring coaches want a chance to show their capabilities. It is imperative to persist in work hard to break those obstacles once and for all."

Furthermore, Rosenior will become the fourth full-time English managers currently in the Premier League – joining Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe as well as Scott Parker – which lags behind Europe's remaining big five leagues in terms of homegrown managers.

Sixteen out of twenty first division coaches in Serie A are from Italy, Eleven in La Liga in Spain, Twelve in the Bundesliga in Germany while Ten of the 18 in France.

Current Blues interim boss Calum McFarlane commented: "I'm sure every young English managers with a youth development pedigree will be, to some degree regardless of allegiance, rooting for Liam.

"It's really inspirational to young English coaches in the system to see an individual land such a role with that profile and everyone hopes he will be really well."

'Let's not forget – he's there on merit'

Leroy Rosenior, Liam's father, had a career with clubs such as West London clubs, the Hammers and Queens Park Rangers, with his managerial career peaked with a five-month spell in charge of then-League One side Brentford FC back in 2006.

In 2019, he received an MBE in the 2019 New Year Honours for his services in combating inequality in football and beyond.

After Liam retired from playing he followed a path in management. He started writing articles for a national newspaper, where in 2017 he acknowledged the under-representation of black coaches. He pointed out that ethnicity does not influence coaching skill arguing that roles must be awarded on merit.

He further expressed the view he would repeat: that significant under-representation results in a failure to understand of players with diverse cultural and ethnic heritage.

In a podcast with The Athletic FC, Rosenior highlighted how his star striker, Emmanuel Emegha, was labelled "difficult" or "passionate", but said he could relate to the Netherlands player of Nigerian descent. Emegha is set to join him with a move from Strasbourg to West London this summer.

In further newspaper articles, Rosenior also admitted he was "ashamed" to hear an unnamed staff member utter a discriminatory remark. He vowed support for the Rainbow Laces campaign and authored a public message to Donald Trump while he was in office, accusing him of "overt" racism.

Rosenior has since made his name in the dugout – initially with Hull City, later at Strasbourg – and Wayne Rooney recently stating he was "among the best coaches I've ever worked with" following their time together with Derby.

The manager bid his farewells to his former club on Tuesday morning prior to putting pen to paper on a six‑and‑a‑half‑year deal at Chelsea.

The Blues had the Premier League's first black manager with Gullit as well as the first black captain in Paul Elliott.

Elliott has since worked in several executive roles, including the Football Association's diversity and inclusion board|