An Powerful Event when Rosenior Breaks Barriers

"Rosenior represents a quality tactician that knows the game intimately, and that's the crucial factor.

"However, in my role as Chelsea's first black footballer, I would be lying to claim this appointment does not affect me."

These were the words of Paul Canoville, the man who earned his historic first appearance for Chelsea's senior side off the bench back in the spring of 1982.

This week, Chelsea appointed Strasbourg boss Rosenior, 41, to be their new manager after the exit of Enzo Maresca.

Strasbourg are within the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital-owned ownership group which also owns the London club.

There have been just 12 of African or Caribbean heritage head coaches – not including those in interim positions – in England's top flight since its inception thirty-four years ago.

"One thing that impresses me regarding Rosenior is he grew up and developed his game not far from here, he understands this area," added Canoville.

"Whenever youngsters observe a figure like Rosenior in charge of their club, a person who looks like them, who's from their ends, who comes from a family that champions equality… that's profound demonstrating the path is there.

"So yes, this represents an enormous moment for Chelsea, for London, for every aspiring individual with big dreams.

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

What Do the Data Show?

Dutch legend Ruud Gullit was appointed the Blues' head coach in 1996 thereby becoming the top flight's inaugural African heritage manager.

Twelve years later, by 2008, Paul Ince became the pioneering English black boss in the top flight when he took over Blackburn Rovers.

West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo is the only other current top flight boss from a minority ethnic background.

The scarcity of ethnic minority managers across English football is matched by a lack of diversity at executive level.

According to the BFP 2023 report, forty-three percent of Premier League footballers are from black heritage.

Yet, analysis by Kick It Out found just 3.2% of board and senior leadership management teams across most Premier League clubs are from ethnically diverse backgrounds.

At first-team coaching level, based on figures from eleven clubs, the percentage is two percent.

For all coaching positions – including senior roles – from the same 11 clubs, the figure is five percent.

"He has undoubtedly made history by virtue of his appointment as Chelsea head coach, and we hope to see more of that," said Kick It Out CEO Samuel Okafor.

"We know there is loads of ability that exists in the ethnic minority communities... they want a chance to show their capabilities. We need to continue to striving to break those barriers once and for all."

Additionally, the new appointee is set to become one of only four permanent English head coaches presently managing in the top flight – alongside Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe as well as Scott Parker – a number that lags behind Europe's remaining big five leagues regarding national managers.

16 of the 20 top-flight coaches in Italy are from Italy, 11 in La Liga in Spain, Twelve in the Bundesliga are German and 10 in Ligue 1 in France.

Current Blues caretaker manager Calum McFarlane said: "I'm sure every young English managers with a youth development pedigree will be, in some way no matter who you support, rooting for Liam.

"It's really inspirational for young English academy coaches to see someone land that job with his background and we hope he will be really well."

'Let's not forget – his appointment is due to ability'

His father, Leroy, Liam's father, had a career with the likes of Fulham, the Hammers and Queens Park Rangers, with his coaching stint peaked with a brief spell at the third-tier club Brentford back in 2006.

Two years ago, he was awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire in that year's Honours List for his services in combating discrimination within the sport and wider society.

When Rosenior Jr hung up his boots he followed his father's footsteps. He began penning a column for The Guardian, where in 2017 he addressed the under-representation among managers. He pointed out that ethnicity does not influence ability arguing that opportunities should be given on merit.

He further expressed a point he would repeat: how vast lack of diversity results in a failure to understand regarding footballers with diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

During an interview for a football podcast, he explained the way his star striker, Emmanuel Emegha, was labelled "hard to manage" and "emotional", but said he understood the Dutch player with Nigerian parentage. Emegha is set to follow him in moving from France to Chelsea this summer.

In subsequent Guardian columns, Rosenior also admitted to being "ashamed" upon hearing a staff member make a discriminatory remark. He vowed support for the Premier League's Rainbow Laces campaign and authored a public message to the former US President during his first US presidency, condemning his "overt" racism.

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

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 boss with Gullit and the first black skipper in Paul Elliott.

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