An Moving Occasion when Liam Rosenior Breaks Boundaries

"He is a quality coach who understands football inside out, which is the most important thing.

"But, in my role as Chelsea's first black player, it would be dishonest if I said this appointment doesn't move me."

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

On Tuesday, the club named RC Strasbourg manager Rosenior, 41, to be their next manager after the departure of manager Enzo Maresca.

Strasbourg are part of the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital-owned ownership group that also owns the London club.

Statistics show a mere twelve black head coaches – excluding those holding temporary caretaker roles – in England's top flight since it began 34 years ago.

"What really strikes me about Liam is he grew up and developed his game locally, he knows this community," continued Canoville.

"When youngsters observe someone like Liam managing their club, a person they can identify with, from a similar background, who comes from a household that fights for equality… that's impactful and shows them that opportunities exist.

"Indeed, this represents a massive moment for Chelsea, for London, for all aspiring individual dreaming big.

"However, currently? We must support Rosenior, provide him with what he needs, and let the man do his work."

What Does the Data Show?

Dutch legend Ruud Gullit was appointed the Blues' head coach in 1996 and became the top flight's first African heritage head coach.

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

West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo currently stands as the only other current Premier League gaffer of colour.

The shortage of managers of colour throughout the English game corresponds with an absence of diversity at executive level.

According to the BFP 2023's study, forty-three percent of Premier League players are from African or Caribbean backgrounds.

Yet, analysis by the equality organization revealed only 3.2% of board and senior leadership management teams at 17 of 20 Premier League clubs are held by people from minority ethnic communities.

At senior coaching level, based on figures provided by eleven clubs, the percentage stands at two percent.

For all coaching positions – including senior roles – from the same 11 clubs, the statistic is just 5%.

"He's certainly made history by virtue of his appointment as the Chelsea manager, and we hope to see more of that," said the chief executive of Kick It Out Samuel Okafor.

"It is acknowledged that there exists a wealth of talent that exists in the ethnic minority groups... they desire a chance to show their capabilities. It is imperative to persist in striving to dismantle those obstacles down."

Furthermore, the new appointee will become the fourth full-time British managers presently managing in the top flight – alongside Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe as well as Scott Parker – which lags behind Europe's remaining big five divisions regarding national representation.

16 out of twenty top-flight managers in Serie A are Italian, 11 of the 20 in Spain, 12 in the Bundesliga in Germany and Ten in Ligue 1 are French.

The present Chelsea 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 motivating for up-and-coming British coaches in the system to see an individual get that job with that profile and everyone hopes he will be highly successful."

'Let's not forget – he's there on merit'

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

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

After Liam retired from playing he pursued his father's footsteps. He began penning articles for a national newspaper, where in 2017 he addressed the under-representation of black coaches. He highlighted that ethnicity does not influence coaching skill and said opportunities should be given on merit.

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 backgrounds.

In a podcast with The Athletic FC, he explained how his star striker, Emmanuel Emegha, had been described as "difficult" and "passionate", noting that he understood the Netherlands international of Nigerian descent. Emegha is set to follow him with a move from France to West London this summer.

In subsequent newspaper articles, Rosenior also admitted he was "ashamed" upon hearing an unnamed staff member make a discriminatory remark. He vowed his support for the Premier League's inclusion campaign and authored an open letter to the former US President during his first US presidency, condemning his "blatant" prejudice.

He has subsequently built his reputation as a manager – initially with Hull City, later at Strasbourg – and Wayne Rooney said this week he was "among the best coaches I've ever worked with" after their collaboration at Derby County.

Rosenior said goodbye to his former club on Tuesday morning before signing a long-term deal at Chelsea.

Chelsea had the top flight's pioneering African heritage boss with Gullit as well as the first black skipper named Paul Elliott.

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