An Emotional Occasion when Liam Rosenior Breaks Barriers

"Liam Rosenior is a quality manager who knows the game intimately, which is the crucial factor.

"However, in my role as Chelsea's pioneering black footballer, it would be dishonest if I said this moment fails to move me."

These were the words of Paul Canoville, who made his groundbreaking first appearance for Chelsea's senior side off the bench back in the spring of 1982.

On Tuesday, the club named RC Strasbourg boss Rosenior, aged 41, to be their next manager following the exit of Enzo Maresca.

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

There have been just 12 of African or Caribbean heritage managers – not including those holding temporary caretaker positions – in the Premier League since it began thirty-four years ago.

"What really strikes me about Liam is that he grew up and played not far from here, he knows this area," added Canoville.

"When youngsters observe someone like Liam managing their club, someone who looks like them, from a similar background, from a family that champions what's right… that's impactful demonstrating the path is there.

"So yes, it is a huge moment for the club, for London, for all young person with big dreams.

"However, currently? Let's back Liam, give him what he needs, and allow him to do his work."

What Does the Numbers Show?

The iconic Dutchman Ruud Gullit was appointed the Blues' manager in 1996 thereby becoming the Premier League's inaugural black manager.

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

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

The scarcity of ethnic minority managers across the English game corresponds with a lack of representation in the boardroom.

According to the BFP 2023 report, 43% of top-flight footballers come from African or Caribbean backgrounds.

However, research by the equality organization revealed only 3.2% of executive and leadership positions at most Premier League clubs are from ethnically diverse backgrounds.

At senior coaching level, according to data from 11 clubs, the figure stands at 2%.

Across all coaching roles – including head coaches – from those same 11 clubs, the figure is five percent.

"He has undoubtedly broken barriers in terms of his appointment as a the Chelsea head coach, and we want to witness more such appointments," said Kick It Out CEO Samuel Okafor.

"It is acknowledged that there exists a wealth of talent present in the ethnic minority communities... aspiring coaches want the opportunity to demonstrate their capabilities. We need to persist in striving to dismantle those obstacles once and for all."

Furthermore, Rosenior is set to become one of only four full-time British managers currently in the Premier League – alongside Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe as well as Scott Parker – which lags behind the continent's remaining major divisions regarding homegrown representation.

16 out of twenty top-flight coaches in Italy are from Italy, 11 in La Liga in Spain, 12 of the 18 are German and Ten in Ligue 1 are French.

The present Blues interim boss Calum McFarlane said: "I have no doubt every aspiring British managers from an academy background will be, to some degree no matter who you support, rooting for Liam.

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

It is vital to remember – his appointment is based on talent'

Leroy Rosenior, Rosenior Sr., played for the likes of West London clubs, the Hammers as well as Queens Park Rangers, and his managerial career culminating in a five-month stint at the third-tier club Brentford FC in 2006.

In 2019, he received an MBE in the Honours List for services rendered to tackling inequality in football and wider society.

When Rosenior Jr retired from playing he pursued a path in management. He started writing a column for The Guardian, where in 2017 he acknowledged the lack of diversity among managers. He pointed out that race does not influence coaching skill arguing that roles should be given on merit.

He also made the view he has often stated: that vast under-representation leads to misunderstandings regarding footballers with diverse ethnic and cultural heritage.

In a podcast for a football podcast, Rosenior highlighted how his leading forward, Emmanuel Emegha, had been described as "difficult" or "emotional", but said he understood the Netherlands player of Nigerian descent. Emegha is set to join him in moving from France to Chelsea this summer.

In further newspaper articles, he also confessed to being "ashamed" upon hearing an unnamed coach utter a discriminatory remark. He pledged support for the Rainbow Laces campaign and authored an open letter to Donald Trump during his first US presidency, condemning his "overt" prejudice.

He has subsequently made his name in the dugout – first at Hull City, then 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 at Strasbourg earlier this week prior to putting pen to paper on a long-term contract at Chelsea.

The Blues boasted the top flight's first African heritage manager in Gullit and the first black skipper in Paul Elliott.

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