A Emotional Moment when Rosenior Overcomes Obstacles

"Liam Rosenior is a quality coach that knows football intimately, which is what matters most.

"But, in my role as Chelsea's first black player, it would be dishonest to claim this appointment does not affect me."

Those are the sentiments of the former Chelsea winger, the man who made his groundbreaking debut for the Blues' first team as a substitute back in April 1982.

On Tuesday, Chelsea named Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior, 41, to be their new manager following the departure of Enzo Maresca.

The French club is part of the multi-club BlueCo which also owns Chelsea.

There have been a mere twelve black managers – excluding those holding temporary caretaker positions – in the Premier League since its inception thirty-four years ago.

"What really strikes me regarding Rosenior is he was raised and developed his game not far from here, he knows the local fans," added Canoville.

"Whenever youngsters observe someone like Liam managing the team they support, someone they can identify with, from a similar background, who comes from a family that fights for what's right… that's powerful demonstrating that opportunities exist.

"So yes, this represents a huge step for Chelsea, for London, for all aspiring individual with big dreams.

"However, currently? We must support Rosenior, give him the necessary tools, and allow him to get on with the job."

What Does the Statistics Reveal?

Dutch legend Ruud Gullit was appointed Chelsea head coach back in the nineties and became the Premier League's first African heritage manager.

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

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

The scarcity of managers of colour across English football corresponds with an absence of representation in the boardroom.

According to a Black Footballers Partnership 2023 report, 43% of Premier League footballers come from black heritage.

However, analysis from Kick It Out revealed only 3.2% of board and senior leadership positions across 17 of 20 Premier League clubs are held by people from ethnically diverse backgrounds.

At first-team coaching positions, based on data from 11 clubs, the figure stands at 2%.

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

"He's certainly broken barriers by virtue of his appointment as a the Chelsea head coach, and we hope to see more of that," stated Kick It Out CEO Samuel Okafor.

"It is acknowledged there is a wealth of ability present in the ethnic minority communities... aspiring coaches desire a chance to show what they can do. It is imperative to continue to work hard to break those barriers once and for all."

Furthermore, the new appointee will become one of only four full-time British managers currently in the Premier League – alongside Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe and Scott Parker – a number that trails Europe's other major leagues regarding national managers.

Sixteen of the 20 first division managers in Serie A are Italian, Eleven of the 20 in Spain, Twelve in the Bundesliga are German and Ten in Ligue 1 in France.

Current Chelsea caretaker manager Calum McFarlane commented: "I'm sure all aspiring British managers from an academy background are, to some degree no matter who you support, rooting for Liam.

"It's really motivating for up-and-coming British coaches in the system to see someone get that job with his background and everyone hopes he will be really well."

'Let's not forget – his appointment is based on talent'

Leroy Rosenior, Liam's father, played for the likes of Fulham, West Ham as well as Queens Park Rangers, and his managerial career peaked with a five-month stint in charge of then-League One side Brentford FC in 2006.

In 2019, he was awarded an MBE in that year's 2019 New Year Honours for his services to tackling discrimination in football and beyond.

When Rosenior Jr hung up his boots he pursued a path in management. He started writing a column for a national newspaper, and in one piece he acknowledged the lack of diversity of black coaches. He highlighted that race does not determine ability and said opportunities must be awarded on merit.

He further expressed the view he has often stated: how significant under-representation results in misunderstandings of players from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

In a podcast with The Athletic FC, he explained how his leading forward, Emmanuel Emegha, was labelled "hard to manage" and "emotional", noting that he understood the Netherlands international of Nigerian descent. Emegha is set to follow him in moving from Strasbourg to West London in July.

In subsequent newspaper articles, he also confessed to being "embarrassed" to hear a staff member make a discriminatory remark. He vowed support for the Rainbow Laces campaign and authored an open letter to the former US President during his first US presidency, accusing him of "overt" prejudice.

Rosenior has since made his name as a manager – initially with Hull City, then Strasbourg – and Wayne Rooney said this week he was "as good a coach as I've ever worked with" following their collaboration with Derby.

Rosenior said his farewells to his former club on Tuesday morning before signing a long-term deal with the Blues.

The Blues had the Premier League's pioneering black manager in Gullit as well as the first black skipper named Paul Elliott.

Elliott later worked in several senior positions, among them the FA's equality board|