An Emotional Moment when Rosenior Shatters Barriers

"Liam Rosenior is a quality coach that knows football intimately, and that's the crucial factor.

"However, in my role as Chelsea's first African heritage player, it would be dishonest if I said this moment does not affect me."

Those are the words expressed by the former Chelsea winger, the man who earned his historic first appearance for Chelsea's senior side off the bench in April 1982.

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

The French club is within the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital-owned BlueCo which also controls Chelsea.

Statistics show only 12 black managers – excluding individuals holding interim positions – in the Premier League since its inception 34 years ago.

"One thing that impresses me about Liam is he grew up and played locally, he knows this area," continued Canoville.

"Whenever youngsters see a figure like Rosenior in charge of the team they support, someone who looks like them, who's from their ends, from a household that champions what's right… it is powerful demonstrating that opportunities exist.

"So yes, it is an enormous step for the club, for London, for every young person with big dreams.

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

What Exactly Does the Data Show?

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

A dozen years on, by 2008, Paul Ince became the first black English boss in the top flight after taking charge at Blackburn Rovers.

The Hammers' manager Nuno Espirito Santo is the sole additional present Premier League gaffer from a minority ethnic background.

The lack of managers of colour throughout English football corresponds with an absence of diversity at executive level.

As per the BFP 2023's report, forty-three percent of Premier League players come from black heritage.

Yet, research from the equality organization found just 3.2% of board and senior leadership positions across 17 of 20 Premier League clubs are held by people from minority ethnic backgrounds.

At senior coaching level, according to figures provided by eleven clubs, the figure is two percent.

For all coaching roles – encompassing senior roles – from the same eleven clubs, the figure is just 5%.

"He's certainly broken barriers by virtue of his appointment as a Chelsea manager, and we want to see more of that," stated the chief executive of Kick It Out Samuel Okafor.

"We know that there exists a wealth of talent present within black and underrepresented communities... aspiring coaches want a chance to demonstrate what they can do. It is imperative to continue to work hard to dismantle those barriers once and for all."

Additionally, Rosenior is set to become one of only four permanent English 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 in terms of national managers.

Sixteen of the 20 first division managers in Serie A are from Italy, Eleven in La Liga are Spanish, 12 of the 18 are German and 10 in Ligue 1 in France.

The present Chelsea interim boss Calum McFarlane said: "I'm sure all aspiring British coaches from an academy background will be, to some degree regardless of allegiance, rooting for Liam.

"It's truly motivating to young English academy coaches to witness an individual land that job with his background and we hope he does really well."

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

Leroy Rosenior, Rosenior Sr., had a career with clubs such as West London clubs, the Hammers and Queens Park Rangers, with his managerial career peaked with a five-month spell in charge of the third-tier club Brentford FC back in 2006.

Two years ago, he was awarded an MBE in the 2019 New Year Honours for his services in combating inequality in football and wider society.

After Liam retired from playing he followed his father's footsteps. He began penning a column for The Guardian, and in one piece he acknowledged the lack of diversity among managers. He highlighted that ethnicity does not influence ability and said roles must be awarded based on qualification.

He also made a point he has often stated: that significant lack of diversity leads to misunderstandings regarding footballers with diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

In a podcast with The Athletic FC, he explained how his leading forward, Emmanuel Emegha, was labelled "difficult" or "passionate", noting that he could relate to the Dutch international of Nigerian descent. The striker is expected to join him with a move from France to West London in July.

In further Guardian columns, he also confessed he was "embarrassed" to hear a coach make a discriminatory remark. He vowed his 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.

He has subsequently 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 collaboration at Derby County.

The manager bid goodbye to his former club earlier this week before signing a six‑and‑a‑half‑year contract at Chelsea.

Chelsea boasted the Premier League's pioneering African heritage manager with Gullit as well as the first black captain named Paul Elliott.

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