An Emotional Occasion as Liam Rosenior Breaks Boundaries

"Liam Rosenior is an excellent tactician that knows the game inside out, and that's the most important thing.

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

Those are the words expressed by Paul Canoville, who made his groundbreaking first appearance for the Blues' first team off the bench in April 1982.

This week, Chelsea appointed RC Strasbourg boss Rosenior, 41, as their new manager after the exit of Enzo Maresca.

Strasbourg are part of the multi-club BlueCo which also controls Chelsea.

There have been just 12 black head coaches – excluding those in interim roles – in England's top flight since it began 34 years ago.

"What really strikes me regarding Rosenior is he grew up and developed his game locally, he understands the local fans," added Canoville.

"When kids see a figure like Rosenior managing their club, someone they can identify with, who's from their ends, from a family that champions what's right… it is profound demonstrating that opportunities exist.

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

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

What Exactly Does the Numbers Show?

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

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

West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo currently stands as the sole additional current top flight gaffer from a minority ethnic background.

The lack of managers of colour throughout the English game is matched by an absence of diversity in the boardroom.

As per the Black Footballers Partnership 2023 study, 43% of Premier League footballers are from black backgrounds.

Yet, research by the equality organization revealed only 3.2% of executive and leadership management teams at most Premier League clubs are from minority ethnic backgrounds.

Regarding senior coaching level, according to data from eleven clubs, the figure is two percent.

For all coaching roles – encompassing head coaches – from the same 11 clubs, the figure is five percent.

"He has undoubtedly broken barriers in terms of his appointment as a the Chelsea manager, and as an organization, we hope to see more of that," stated Kick It Out CEO Samuel Okafor.

"It is acknowledged there is loads of ability present in the black and underrepresented communities... they want a chance to show their capabilities. It is imperative to persist in work hard to break those barriers down."

Additionally, the new appointee will become the fourth permanent English head coaches currently managing in the top flight – joining Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe and Scott Parker – a number that trails Europe's other big five divisions in terms of national representation.

Sixteen out of twenty top-flight managers in Serie A are Italian, 11 in La Liga in Spain, 12 in the Bundesliga are German and Ten in Ligue 1 are French.

The present Blues caretaker manager Calum McFarlane said: "I have no doubt every young English coaches from an academy background are, in some way no matter who you support, rooting for Liam.

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

'Let's not forget – he's there based on talent'

His father, Leroy, Rosenior Sr., played for the likes of Fulham, West Ham as well as Queens Park Rangers, with his coaching stint peaked with a brief spell at the third-tier club Brentford in 2006.

In 2019, he was awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire in that year's 2019 New Year Honours for services rendered to tackling discrimination in football and wider society.

After Liam retired from playing he followed his father's footsteps. He started penning articles for The Guardian, and in one piece he acknowledged the lack of diversity of black coaches. He pointed out that race does not influence ability and said opportunities should be given based on qualification.

He also made a point he would repeat: how significant lack of diversity results in a failure to understand of players from different ethnic and cultural heritage.

During an interview for a football podcast, Rosenior highlighted how his leading forward, Emmanuel Emegha, was labelled "difficult" and "emotional", but said he could relate to the Netherlands international of Nigerian descent. The striker is expected to follow him with a move from France to West London in July.

In subsequent newspaper articles, Rosenior also admitted he was "ashamed" to hear a staff member utter a discriminatory remark. He vowed his support for the Rainbow Laces campaign and authored a public message to the former US President during his first US presidency, condemning his "blatant" racism.

Rosenior has since made his name in the dugout – first at Hull City, later at Strasbourg – and Wayne Rooney said this week Rosenior was "as good a coach as I've ever worked with" after their time together at Derby County.

Rosenior said his farewells to his former club on Tuesday morning before signing a six‑and‑a‑half‑year deal with the Blues.

Chelsea had the Premier League's first African heritage boss in Gullit as well as the first black captain in Paul Elliott.

Elliott later worked in multiple senior positions, among them the FA's diversity and inclusion board|