An Significant Moment when Rosenior Breaks Barriers

"He is a top manager who understands the game intimately, which is what matters most.

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

Those are the words expressed by Paul Canoville, the man who made his historic debut for Chelsea's senior side off the bench back in the spring of 1982.

On Tuesday, the club appointed RC Strasbourg boss Rosenior, 41, to be their next head coach after the departure of manager Enzo Maresca.

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

There have been only 12 of African or Caribbean heritage managers – not including individuals in temporary caretaker positions – in England's top flight since its inception 34 years ago.

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

"Whenever kids see a figure like Rosenior managing the team they support, a person they can identify with, who's from their ends, who comes from a family that champions what's right… that's impactful and shows them the path is there.

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

"However, currently? We must support Rosenior, provide him with the necessary tools, and let the man get on with the job."

What Do the Numbers Reveal?

Dutch legend Ruud Gullit was appointed Chelsea manager in 1996 thereby becoming the top flight's inaugural black manager.

Twelve years later, by 2008, Paul Ince was appointed as the first English black boss in the Premier League after taking charge at Blackburn Rovers.

The Hammers' manager Nuno Espirito Santo is the only other present Premier League gaffer from a minority ethnic background.

The shortage of managers of colour across the English game is matched by an absence of diversity at executive level.

According to the Black Footballers Partnership 2023's report, forty-three percent of top-flight footballers are from African or Caribbean backgrounds.

Yet, analysis from the equality organization found only 3.2 percent of board and senior leadership management teams at 17 of 20 Premier League clubs are held by people from ethnically diverse backgrounds.

Regarding first-team coaching level, based on data from 11 clubs, the percentage is two percent.

Across all coaching positions – encompassing senior roles – from those same 11 clubs, the figure is 5%.

"He has undoubtedly broken barriers by virtue of him being announced as a the Chelsea head coach, and as an organization, we hope to see more of that," stated Kick It Out CEO Samuel Okafor.

"We know that there exists a wealth of talent that exists in the ethnic minority groups... aspiring coaches desire the opportunity to demonstrate their capabilities. We need to continue to work hard to dismantle those barriers once and for all."

Additionally, the new appointee is set to become the fourth permanent English managers currently in the Premier League – joining Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe as well as Scott Parker – which lags behind the continent's remaining major leagues in terms of homegrown managers.

Sixteen out of twenty top-flight managers in Italy are Italian, 11 of the 20 in Spain, 12 in the Bundesliga are German while 10 of the 18 in France.

The present Blues caretaker manager Calum McFarlane commented: "I'm sure every young English coaches from an academy background are, in some way regardless of allegiance, supporting Liam.

"It's really motivating for young English academy coaches to witness an individual land such a role with that profile and we hope he does really well."

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

His father, Leroy, Rosenior Sr., played for the likes of West London clubs, the Hammers and Queens Park Rangers, and his coaching stint peaked with a five-month spell in charge of the third-tier club Brentford in 2006.

In 2019, he was awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the Honours List for his services to tackling inequality in football and wider society.

After Liam retired from playing he pursued his father's footsteps. He started writing a column for a national newspaper, where in 2017 he addressed the lack of diversity among managers. He pointed out that ethnicity does not influence coaching skill and said opportunities should be given on merit.

He further expressed a point he would repeat: how significant under-representation results in misunderstandings regarding footballers with diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

In a podcast for a football podcast, Rosenior highlighted the way his leading forward, Emmanuel Emegha, had been described as "hard to manage" and "passionate", noting that he could relate to the Netherlands international of Nigerian descent. The striker is expected to follow him in moving from Strasbourg to Chelsea in July.

In subsequent newspaper articles, Rosenior also admitted he was "embarrassed" to hear an unnamed coach utter a discriminatory remark. He pledged his support for the inclusion initiative and wrote an open letter to the former US President while he was in office, condemning his "overt" racism.

He has subsequently built his reputation as a manager – initially with Hull City, then Strasbourg – and Wayne Rooney said this week he was "as good a coach as I've ever worked with" following their collaboration with Derby.

Rosenior said his farewells to his former club earlier this week before signing a long-term deal at Chelsea.

The Blues boasted the top flight's first black manager with Gullit and the first black captain in Paul Elliott.

Elliott has since held several executive roles, including the Football Association's diversity and inclusion board|