An Historic Occasion as Liam Rosenior Breaks Barriers

"He is a top coach that understands the game back to front, and that's what matters most.

"But, in my role as Chelsea's pioneering African heritage player, I would be lying if I said this appointment doesn't move me."

These were the words expressed by Paul Canoville, the man who earned his groundbreaking first appearance for the Blues' first team off the bench in April 1982.

On Tuesday, the club appointed RC Strasbourg boss Liam Rosenior, 41, as their next head coach following the departure of Enzo Maresca.

Strasbourg are part of the multi-club BlueCo which also controls Chelsea.

There have been just 12 black managers – excluding individuals holding interim roles – in England's top flight since its inception 34 in the past.

"One thing that impresses me about Liam is that he was raised and played locally, he understands the local fans," continued Canoville.

"Whenever youngsters observe a figure like Rosenior in charge of the team they support, a person who looks like them, from a similar background, who comes from a family that fights for equality… that's impactful demonstrating that opportunities exist.

"So yes, this represents an enormous step for Chelsea, for London, for every aspiring individual dreaming big.

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

What Does the Statistics Reveal?

Dutch legend Ruud Gullit was appointed the Blues' head coach back in the nineties and became the Premier League's inaugural black head coach.

Twelve years later, in 2008, Paul Ince became the first English black manager in the top flight after taking charge at Blackburn Rovers.

The Hammers' manager Nuno Espirito Santo is the only other current top flight boss of colour.

The lack of managers of colour across the English game is matched by an absence of representation in the boardroom.

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

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

At first-team coaching positions, according to data from eleven clubs, the percentage stands at 2%.

Across all coaching roles – including senior roles – from those same 11 clubs, the statistic is 5%.

"He has undoubtedly broken barriers in terms of his appointment as a Chelsea manager, and as an organization, we hope to see more of that," stated the chief executive of Kick It Out Samuel Okafor.

"We know that there exists loads of talent that exists within ethnic minority groups... they want a chance to demonstrate their capabilities. It is imperative to persist in work hard to break those barriers once and for all."

Additionally, the new appointee will become the fourth permanent English managers currently managing in the top flight – alongside Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe as well as Scott Parker – a number that lags behind Europe's remaining major divisions regarding national representation.

16 of the 20 top-flight coaches in Italy are from Italy, 11 in La Liga are Spanish, 12 of the 18 in Germany and Ten in Ligue 1 in France.

The present Blues caretaker manager Calum McFarlane said: "I'm sure every young English coaches with a youth development pedigree are, to some degree no matter who you support, 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 does highly successful."

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

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

Two years ago, he was awarded an MBE in that year's Honours List for services rendered to tackling discrimination within the sport and beyond.

After Liam hung up his boots he followed a path in management. He began writing a column for a national newspaper, and in one piece he acknowledged the under-representation among managers. He pointed out that ethnicity does not determine coaching skill arguing that roles should be given based on qualification.

He also made a point he has often stated: that significant under-representation results in a failure to understand of players with diverse cultural and ethnic heritage.

In a podcast with The Athletic FC, Rosenior highlighted how his leading forward, Emmanuel Emegha, had been described as "difficult" and "emotional", noting that he could relate to the Netherlands player of Nigerian descent. The striker is expected to follow him with a move from France to West London this summer.

In subsequent Guardian columns, Rosenior also admitted to being "ashamed" upon hearing an unnamed coach utter a discriminatory remark. He vowed support for the Premier League's Rainbow Laces initiative and authored a public message to the former US President during his first US presidency, accusing him of "blatant" prejudice.

He has subsequently 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" following their collaboration at Derby County.

Rosenior said goodbye at Strasbourg on Tuesday morning before signing a long-term deal at Chelsea.

Chelsea had the Premier League's pioneering black manager in Gullit as well as the first black skipper named Paul Elliott.

Elliott later worked in several executive roles, among them the FA's diversity and inclusion board|