A Historic Moment as Rosenior Overcomes Obstacles

"He is a top manager who understands football intimately, and that's the crucial factor.

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

Those are the words of the former Chelsea winger, who earned his groundbreaking debut for the Blues' first team off the bench back in April 1982.

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

Strasbourg are within a Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital-owned BlueCo which also owns Chelsea.

Statistics show just 12 black head coaches – not including those in interim roles – in England's top flight since its inception 34 in the past.

"What really strikes me about Liam is he was raised and played not far from here, he knows this community," added Canoville.

"When kids see someone like Liam in charge of their club, someone who looks like them, who's from their ends, who comes from a family that champions equality… that's impactful and shows them the path is there.

"Indeed, this represents a huge step for the club, for London, for all aspiring individual dreaming big.

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

What Does the Statistics Show?

The iconic Dutchman Ruud Gullit became Chelsea head coach in 1996 thereby becoming the top flight's inaugural African heritage head coach.

Twelve years later, in 2008, Paul Ince was appointed as the first English black boss in the top flight after taking charge at Blackburn Rovers.

West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo currently stands as the sole additional present top flight boss of colour.

The shortage of managers of colour across the English game corresponds with a lack of representation in the boardroom.

According to a Black Footballers Partnership 2023's study, 43% of Premier League footballers are from black backgrounds.

However, research by Kick It Out revealed only 3.2% of board and senior leadership management teams across most Premier League clubs are held by people from minority ethnic communities.

At senior coaching level, according to data provided by eleven clubs, the percentage stands at 2%.

For all coaching positions – including head coaches – from the same 11 clubs, the statistic is five percent.

"He's certainly broken barriers in terms of him being announced as a the Chelsea head coach, and as an organization, we want to witness more such appointments," said the chief executive of Kick It Out Samuel Okafor.

"It is acknowledged there is a wealth of ability that exists within black and underrepresented communities... aspiring coaches desire the opportunity to show their capabilities. It is imperative to continue to striving to dismantle those obstacles down."

Furthermore, the new appointee is set to become one of only four permanent English managers presently in the Premier League – joining Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe as well as Scott Parker – a number that trails Europe's other major leagues in terms of national representation.

Sixteen of the 20 first division coaches in Italy are Italian, Eleven in La Liga in Spain, Twelve in the Bundesliga are German while Ten of the 18 in France.

The present Chelsea caretaker manager Calum McFarlane said: "I have no doubt all young English coaches with a youth development pedigree will be, to some degree regardless of allegiance, rooting for Liam.

"It is truly inspirational to up-and-coming British coaches in the system to see someone land such a role with his background and everyone hopes he will be really well."

'Let's not forget – his appointment is on merit'

His father, Leroy, Rosenior Sr., had a career with the likes of West London clubs, the Hammers as well as Queens Park Rangers, and his coaching stint peaked with a brief spell at then-League One side Brentford FC back in 2006.

In 2019, he received an MBE in the Honours List for services rendered in combating discrimination in football and wider society.

After Liam retired from playing he followed his father's footsteps. He began writing a column for The Guardian, and in one piece he addressed the lack of diversity of black coaches. He pointed out that ethnicity does not determine ability arguing that roles should be given based on qualification.

He further expressed the view he would repeat: how significant lack of diversity results in misunderstandings of players with diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

During an interview with The Athletic FC, he explained the way his star striker, Emmanuel Emegha, was labelled "hard to manage" or "passionate", but said he understood the Netherlands player of Nigerian descent. The striker is expected to join him with a move from Strasbourg to Chelsea in July.

In subsequent Guardian columns, he also confessed he was "ashamed" to hear a coach make a discriminatory remark. He vowed support for the Premier League's Rainbow Laces campaign and authored an open letter to Donald Trump while he was in office, accusing him of "overt" prejudice.

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

The manager bid his farewells at Strasbourg earlier this week before signing a long-term contract at Chelsea.

Chelsea boasted the top flight's first black manager in Gullit as well as the first black captain in Paul Elliott.

Elliott has since worked in several senior positions, among them the FA's diversity and inclusion board|