A Emotional Milestone when Liam Rosenior Shatters Barriers

"Liam Rosenior is a quality tactician that knows football back to front, and that's the most important thing.

"But, as Chelsea's first African heritage footballer, I would be lying to claim this moment does not affect me."

These were the words of the former Chelsea winger, the man who made his groundbreaking debut for Chelsea's senior side as a substitute in the spring of 1982.

On Tuesday, Chelsea hired RC Strasbourg boss Liam Rosenior, aged 41, as their new head coach after the exit of manager Enzo Maresca.

Strasbourg are within the multi-club BlueCo that also owns Chelsea.

There have been a mere twelve black head coaches – not including those in temporary caretaker positions – in the Premier League since its inception 34 in the past.

"What really strikes me regarding Rosenior is that he grew up and developed his game not far from here, he knows this area," continued Canoville.

"Whenever kids observe someone like Liam managing their club, someone they can identify with, from a similar background, from a family that champions what's right… it is powerful and shows them that opportunities exist.

"Indeed, it is a massive moment for the club, for London, for all aspiring individual with big dreams.

"However, currently? Let's back Liam, give him the necessary tools, and allow him to get on with the job."

What Exactly Does the Statistics Show?

Dutch legend Ruud Gullit became Chelsea head coach in 1996 and became the top flight's first black head coach.

A dozen years on, in 2008, Paul Ince became the pioneering English black boss in the Premier League when he took over Blackburn Rovers.

The Hammers' manager Nuno Espirito Santo currently stands as the sole additional current Premier League gaffer of colour.

The scarcity of managers of colour throughout English football corresponds with a lack of representation in the boardroom.

According to a BFP 2023 report, 43% of top-flight footballers are from black backgrounds.

However, research from Kick It Out revealed only 3.2% of board and senior leadership positions across most Premier League clubs are from ethnically diverse backgrounds.

At senior coaching positions, based on data from eleven clubs, the figure is two percent.

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

"He's certainly made history by virtue of him being announced as the Chelsea head coach, and we want to witness more such appointments," said the chief executive of Kick It Out Samuel Okafor.

"We know there is a wealth of ability present within black and underrepresented communities... they desire the opportunity to demonstrate what they can do. We need to persist in striving to break those obstacles down."

Additionally, Rosenior is set to become the fourth full-time English managers presently managing in the top flight – alongside Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe and Scott Parker – which lags behind the continent's remaining major leagues in terms of homegrown managers.

16 of the 20 top-flight managers in Italy are Italian, Eleven in La Liga are Spanish, Twelve of the 18 are German while 10 in Ligue 1 in France.

Current Chelsea caretaker manager Calum McFarlane said: "I have no doubt every young English managers with a youth development pedigree are, in some way regardless of allegiance, supporting Liam.

"It is really inspirational for up-and-coming British academy coaches to witness an individual land such a role with his background and we hope he will be highly successful."

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

Leroy Rosenior, Liam's father, had a career with the likes of West London clubs, West Ham and Queens Park Rangers, and his coaching stint culminating in a five-month spell in charge of then-League One side Brentford back in 2006.

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

When Rosenior Jr retired from playing he followed a path in management. He began penning a column for a national newspaper, and in one piece he acknowledged the under-representation among managers. He highlighted that ethnicity does not determine coaching skill arguing that roles should be given on merit.

He further expressed a point he would repeat: how vast lack of diversity leads to a failure to understand of players from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

During an interview for a football podcast, he explained how his star striker, Emmanuel Emegha, had been described as "hard to manage" and "passionate", but said he understood the Netherlands international with Nigerian parentage. The striker is expected to join him in moving from Strasbourg to Chelsea in July.

In further Guardian columns, Rosenior also admitted to being "ashamed" upon hearing an unnamed coach utter a discriminatory remark. He pledged his support for the inclusion campaign and wrote a public message to Donald Trump while he was in office, condemning his "overt" prejudice.

He has subsequently built his reputation in the dugout – initially with Hull City, then Strasbourg – with Wayne Rooney recently stating Rosenior was "among the best coaches I've ever worked with" after their collaboration at Derby County.

The manager bid his farewells to his former club on Tuesday morning before signing a six‑and‑a‑half‑year deal at Chelsea.

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

Elliott has since worked in multiple executive roles, including the Football Association's diversity and inclusion board|