A Historic Event as Rosenior Overcomes Obstacles

"Rosenior represents a top tactician who understands football back to front, and that's what matters most.

"But, as Chelsea's pioneering African heritage player, I would be lying if I said this news doesn't move me."

Those are the sentiments of the former Chelsea winger, the man who made his historic first appearance for Chelsea's senior side off the bench in the spring of 1982.

This week, Chelsea named RC Strasbourg boss Rosenior, 41, to be their new manager after the exit of manager Enzo Maresca.

Strasbourg are within a Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital-owned BlueCo that also controls the London club.

There have been just twelve black managers – excluding individuals holding interim roles – in the Premier League since its inception 34 in the past.

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

"When children see someone like Liam managing the team they support, a person they can identify with, from a similar background, who comes from a family that fights for what's right… it is powerful and shows them that opportunities exist.

"So yes, it is an enormous step for the club, for the capital, for all aspiring individual with big dreams.

"However, currently? Let's back Liam, give him the necessary tools, and allow him to do his work."

What Exactly Does the Statistics Show?

The iconic Dutchman Ruud Gullit was appointed Chelsea manager back in the nineties and became the top flight's inaugural black head coach.

A dozen years on, in 2008, Paul Ince was appointed as the pioneering English black boss in the Premier League when he took over Blackburn Rovers.

West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo is the only other present Premier League gaffer of colour.

The lack of managers of colour across the English game corresponds with a lack of diversity at executive level.

According to the Black Footballers Partnership 2023 study, forty-three percent of Premier League footballers come from African or Caribbean backgrounds.

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

At first-team coaching level, based on data provided by eleven clubs, the percentage stands at 2%.

Across all coaching roles – including head coaches – from the same 11 clubs, the figure is just 5%.

"He's certainly made history in terms of his appointment as a Chelsea head coach, and we want to witness more such appointments," said Kick It Out CEO Samuel Okafor.

"It is acknowledged there is loads of ability that exists within ethnic minority groups... they desire the opportunity to demonstrate their capabilities. It is imperative to continue to striving to dismantle those barriers down."

Additionally, Rosenior will become the fourth full-time British head coaches currently managing in the top flight – joining Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe as well as Scott Parker – which lags behind the continent's other major leagues in terms of homegrown representation.

16 out of twenty first division managers in Serie A are Italian, Eleven of the 20 in Spain, 12 in the Bundesliga are German and 10 of the 18 are French.

Current Blues interim boss Calum McFarlane said: "I have no doubt every young English managers from an academy background will be, to some degree regardless of allegiance, rooting for Liam.

"It is truly motivating for up-and-coming British coaches in the system to witness an individual land such a role with that profile and we hope he will be highly successful."

'Let's not forget – he's there due to ability'

His father, Leroy, Liam's father, had a career with clubs such as West London clubs, the Hammers as well as Queens Park Rangers, and his coaching stint peaked with a five-month stint in charge of the third-tier club Brentford in 2006.

Two years ago, he was awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 2019 New Year Honours for services rendered in combating inequality in football and wider society.

When Rosenior Jr retired from playing he followed his father's footsteps. He started penning articles for The Guardian, and in one piece he addressed the under-representation of black coaches. He highlighted that ethnicity does not determine coaching skill and said opportunities should be given based on qualification.

He also made the view he would repeat: that vast under-representation leads to misunderstandings of players with diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

In a podcast with The Athletic FC, Rosenior highlighted how his leading forward, Emmanuel Emegha, was labelled "hard to manage" and "passionate", noting that he could relate to the Dutch international of Nigerian descent. Emegha is set to follow him with a move from France to Chelsea in July.

In further Guardian columns, he also confessed to being "ashamed" to hear an unnamed coach utter a discriminatory remark. He vowed his support for the Premier League's Rainbow Laces campaign and wrote a public message to the former US President while he was in office, accusing him of "blatant" prejudice.

Rosenior has since made his name as a manager – first at Hull City, then Strasbourg – with Wayne Rooney recently stating he was "as good a coach as I've ever worked with" following their collaboration with Derby.

The manager bid his farewells to his former club on Tuesday morning before signing a long-term contract with the Blues.

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

Elliott later held several senior positions, including the Football Association's diversity and inclusion board|