A Powerful Event as Rosenior Shatters Barriers

"Liam Rosenior is an excellent tactician who understands the game intimately, which is the crucial factor.

"But, as the Blues' first African heritage player, I would be lying to claim this appointment fails to move me."

Those are the sentiments of Paul Canoville, the man who earned his groundbreaking debut for Chelsea's senior side as a substitute back in April 1982.

This week, the club hired Strasbourg boss Rosenior, aged 41, as their next manager after the exit of Enzo Maresca.

The French club is within the multi-club ownership group which also controls Chelsea.

There have been a mere twelve of African or Caribbean heritage managers – excluding individuals in temporary caretaker roles – in England's top flight since it began 34 years ago.

"One thing that impresses me about Liam is that he was raised and played not far from here, he understands this community," added Canoville.

"When children observe someone like Liam managing the team they support, a person who looks like them, from a similar background, who comes from a family that fights for what's right… that's powerful demonstrating that opportunities exist.

"Indeed, it is a huge step for Chelsea, for the capital, for every young person with big dreams.

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

What Do the Numbers Show?

The iconic Dutchman Ruud Gullit became Chelsea head coach back in the nineties thereby becoming the top flight's inaugural black head coach.

A dozen years on, in 2008, Paul Ince was appointed as the pioneering English black manager in the Premier League when he took over Blackburn Rovers.

West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo currently stands as the sole additional present Premier League gaffer from a minority ethnic background.

The lack of managers of colour across the English game is matched by a lack of representation at executive level.

According to the BFP 2023 study, forty-three percent of top-flight footballers are from black heritage.

However, research by Kick It Out revealed just 3.2% of board and senior leadership positions at 17 of 20 Premier League clubs are from minority ethnic backgrounds.

Regarding senior coaching positions, based on figures provided by eleven clubs, the percentage stands at 2%.

For all coaching roles – including head coaches – from those same eleven clubs, the figure is 5%.

"He has undoubtedly broken barriers by virtue of his appointment as the Chelsea manager, and as an organization, we hope to witness more such appointments," stated Kick It Out CEO Samuel Okafor.

"It is acknowledged that there exists a wealth of ability that exists within ethnic minority communities... they want the opportunity to show what they can do. It is imperative to continue to work hard to break those obstacles once and for all."

Additionally, Rosenior is set to become one of only four permanent British managers presently managing in the top flight – joining Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe and Scott Parker – which lags behind the continent's remaining big five leagues regarding national representation.

16 out of twenty top-flight managers in Serie A are Italian, Eleven of the 20 in Spain, Twelve in the Bundesliga in Germany and 10 of the 18 in France.

The present Chelsea caretaker manager Calum McFarlane commented: "I'm sure every aspiring British coaches with a youth development pedigree will be, to some degree no matter who you support, supporting Liam.

"It's really motivating for up-and-coming British coaches in the system to witness someone get such a role with that profile and everyone hopes he will be highly successful."

'Let's not forget – he's there based on talent'

His father, Leroy, Rosenior Sr., played for clubs such as West London clubs, West Ham and Queens Park Rangers, with his coaching stint culminating in a five-month stint at the third-tier club Brentford FC in 2006.

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

When Rosenior Jr retired from playing he followed a path in management. He started penning articles for The Guardian, and in one piece he addressed the under-representation of black coaches. He pointed out that ethnicity does not influence coaching skill arguing that opportunities must be awarded on merit.

He also made a point he has often stated: how significant under-representation results in misunderstandings of players from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

In a podcast for a football podcast, Rosenior highlighted the way his star striker, Emmanuel Emegha, had been described as "hard to manage" or "passionate", noting that he understood the Netherlands player of Nigerian descent. Emegha is set to follow him in moving from Strasbourg to West London this summer.

In subsequent newspaper articles, he also confessed to being "embarrassed" upon hearing a coach utter a discriminatory remark. He vowed his support for the Premier League's Rainbow Laces campaign and authored an open letter to Donald Trump during his first US presidency, condemning his "overt" prejudice.

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

Rosenior said goodbye at Strasbourg earlier this week before signing a long-term deal at Chelsea.

The Blues boasted the top flight's pioneering black boss in Gullit and the first black skipper named Paul Elliott.

Elliott later held several senior positions, including the FA's equality board|