An Emotional Occasion as Liam Rosenior Breaks Obstacles

"He is a quality tactician that knows the game back to front, which is the most important thing.

"But, as the Blues' pioneering African heritage player, it would be dishonest if I said this appointment does not affect me."

These were the words expressed by Paul Canoville, the man who made his historic first appearance for the Blues' first team as a substitute in the spring of 1982.

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

Strasbourg are within the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital-owned BlueCo which also controls Chelsea.

There have been a mere 12 of African or Caribbean heritage head coaches – not including those holding temporary caretaker roles – in the Premier League since its inception thirty-four years ago.

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

"Whenever children observe a figure like Rosenior managing the team they support, a person who looks like them, who's from their ends, from a household that champions equality… that's powerful demonstrating that opportunities exist.

"Indeed, it is a huge step for Chelsea, for the capital, for all aspiring individual dreaming big.

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

What Do the Data Reveal?

Dutch legend Ruud Gullit became the Blues' manager back in the nineties and became the top flight's inaugural African heritage manager.

A dozen years on, in 2008, Paul Ince was appointed as the pioneering English black boss in the Premier League after taking charge at Blackburn Rovers.

West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo is the only other current Premier League gaffer of colour.

The shortage of ethnic minority managers across English football corresponds with an absence of representation at executive level.

According to the Black Footballers Partnership 2023 study, forty-three percent of top-flight players are from black heritage.

Yet, research from Kick It Out revealed just 3.2 percent of board and senior leadership management teams at most Premier League clubs are held by people from ethnically diverse communities.

At first-team coaching positions, based on data provided by 11 clubs, the percentage is 2%.

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

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

"It is acknowledged that there exists loads of talent that exists in the black and underrepresented communities... they want a chance to show what they can do. We need to persist in striving to break those barriers down."

Additionally, the new appointee will become the fourth permanent British managers currently in the Premier League – alongside Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe and Scott Parker – a number that lags behind the continent's remaining major divisions regarding homegrown representation.

Sixteen out of twenty first division coaches in Italy are from Italy, Eleven in La Liga in Spain, Twelve of the 18 in Germany while Ten of the 18 in France.

Current Blues interim boss Calum McFarlane commented: "I'm sure every young English managers from an academy background are, in some way no matter who you support, supporting Liam.

"It's truly inspirational to young English coaches in the system to see someone land that job with that profile and we hope he will be highly successful."

It is vital to remember – his appointment is based on talent'

His father, Leroy, Rosenior Sr., played for the likes of West London clubs, West Ham and Queens Park Rangers, with his managerial career peaked with a brief spell at then-League One side Brentford FC back in 2006.

Two years ago, he received 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 beyond.

When Rosenior Jr hung up his boots he pursued his father's footsteps. He began writing articles for a national newspaper, where in 2017 he acknowledged the lack of diversity of black coaches. He pointed out that race does not determine coaching skill and said opportunities should be given based on qualification.

He further expressed a point he would repeat: that vast under-representation leads to misunderstandings regarding footballers from different ethnic and cultural heritage.

In a podcast for a football podcast, Rosenior highlighted the way his star striker, Emmanuel Emegha, was labelled "difficult" or "emotional", but said he understood the Netherlands player of Nigerian descent. Emegha is set to follow him with a move from France to West London this summer.

In subsequent newspaper articles, he also confessed to being "embarrassed" to hear a coach make a homophobic slur. He pledged his support for the Premier League's Rainbow Laces campaign and wrote a public message to the former US President during his first US presidency, condemning his "overt" prejudice.

He has subsequently built his reputation as a manager – initially with Hull City, then Strasbourg – and Wayne Rooney said this week Rosenior was "among the best coaches I've ever worked with" after their collaboration at Derby County.

The manager bid goodbye at Strasbourg earlier this week prior to putting pen to paper on a six‑and‑a‑half‑year contract at Chelsea.

The Blues boasted the Premier League's first black boss in Gullit and the first black captain named Paul Elliott.

Elliott has since held several senior positions, including the Football Association's equality board|