An Moving Moment as Rosenior Overcomes Obstacles

"Liam Rosenior is an excellent manager who knows football back to front, and that's the most important thing.

"However, in my role as the Blues' pioneering black footballer, I would be lying if I said this news does not affect me."

These were the sentiments expressed by the former Chelsea winger, who earned his groundbreaking debut for the Blues' first team as a substitute in April 1982.

On Tuesday, Chelsea named Strasbourg boss Liam Rosenior, aged 41, to be their next head coach following the exit of manager Enzo Maresca.

Strasbourg are part of the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital-owned BlueCo that also controls Chelsea.

There have been a mere 12 of African or Caribbean heritage managers – not including those in interim positions – in the Premier League since its inception 34 in the past.

"What really strikes me about Liam is he grew up and developed his game not far from here, he understands this area," continued Canoville.

"Whenever kids see a figure like Rosenior in charge of the team they support, someone they can identify with, who's from their ends, who comes from a household that champions what's right… that's powerful demonstrating the path is there.

"So yes, this represents a huge step for the club, for the capital, for all aspiring individual dreaming big.

"However, currently? We must support Rosenior, give him the necessary tools, and let the man do his work."

What Exactly 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 manager.

A dozen years on, in 2008, Paul Ince became the first English black boss in the top flight when he took over Blackburn Rovers.

The Hammers' manager Nuno Espirito Santo is the sole additional current Premier League boss of colour.

The shortage of ethnic minority managers across the English game corresponds with a lack of diversity at executive level.

As per the BFP 2023 study, 43% of Premier League footballers come from black backgrounds.

Yet, research from Kick It Out revealed only 3.2 percent of executive and leadership management teams at 17 of 20 Premier League clubs are held by people from minority ethnic communities.

At senior coaching level, according to figures from 11 clubs, the percentage stands at two percent.

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

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

"We know there is loads of talent present within ethnic minority groups... aspiring coaches desire the opportunity to show what they can do. We need to persist in striving to dismantle those obstacles once and for all."

Additionally, Rosenior will become the fourth full-time English managers currently managing in the top flight – alongside Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe as well as Scott Parker – a number that lags behind the continent's other big five divisions in terms of national managers.

Sixteen out of twenty first division coaches in Italy are from Italy, 11 in La Liga in Spain, Twelve in the Bundesliga are German while Ten in Ligue 1 in France.

The present Blues interim boss Calum McFarlane said: "I have no doubt every aspiring British managers with a youth development pedigree will be, in some way regardless of allegiance, supporting Liam.

"It's truly motivating to young English coaches in the system to witness an individual get that job with that profile and we hope he does highly successful."

It is vital to remember – he's there based on talent'

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

Two years ago, he received an MBE in that year's Honours List for his services in combating discrimination in football and wider society.

After Liam retired from playing he pursued a path in management. He started writing a column for The Guardian, where in 2017 he addressed the lack of diversity among managers. He highlighted that race does not determine coaching skill arguing that opportunities must be awarded on merit.

He further expressed the view he has often stated: that significant under-representation results in misunderstandings regarding footballers with diverse cultural and ethnic heritage.

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", but said he understood the Netherlands international with Nigerian parentage. Emegha is set to join him with a move from Strasbourg to West London this summer.

In further Guardian columns, he also confessed he was "embarrassed" to hear an unnamed staff member utter a discriminatory remark. He pledged his support for the Rainbow Laces initiative and wrote an open letter to Donald Trump while he was in office, condemning his "overt" prejudice.

Rosenior has since built his reputation in the dugout – first at Hull City, later at Strasbourg – and Wayne Rooney recently stating he was "as good a coach as I've ever worked with" after their collaboration with Derby.

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

Chelsea boasted the Premier League's first black boss in Gullit and the first black skipper in Paul Elliott.

Elliott has since worked in multiple executive roles, among them the FA's diversity and inclusion board|