An Historic Milestone when Rosenior Shatters Barriers

"He is a quality manager who knows the game intimately, which is the most important thing.

"But, as Chelsea's first African heritage footballer, I would be lying if I said this moment fails to move me."

These were the words expressed by Paul Canoville, the man who made his groundbreaking first appearance for Chelsea's senior side as a substitute back in the spring of 1982.

On Tuesday, the club appointed RC Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior, 41, to be their new manager after the departure of manager Enzo Maresca.

The French club is part of a Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital-owned ownership group which also controls Chelsea.

Statistics show just twelve of African or Caribbean heritage head coaches – not including those holding temporary caretaker roles – in England's top flight since it began thirty-four in the past.

"One thing that impresses me about Liam is that he grew up and developed his game not far from here, he understands the local fans," added Canoville.

"Whenever youngsters observe a figure like Rosenior in charge of their club, a person they can identify with, from a similar background, from a family that fights for what's right… that's powerful and shows them the path is there.

"Indeed, this represents a massive step for Chelsea, for the capital, for every young person with big dreams.

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

What Do the Numbers Indicate?

The iconic Dutchman Ruud Gullit was appointed Chelsea manager back in the nineties thereby becoming the Premier League's inaugural African heritage manager.

Twelve years later, in 2008, Paul Ince was appointed as the pioneering black English manager in the top flight after taking charge at Blackburn Rovers.

The Hammers' manager Nuno Espirito Santo is the sole additional current Premier League boss from a minority ethnic background.

The shortage of ethnic minority managers throughout the English game corresponds with an absence of representation at executive level.

As per a Black Footballers Partnership 2023 study, 43% of top-flight players come from black backgrounds.

Yet, research from Kick It Out revealed just 3.2% of board and senior leadership management teams across most Premier League clubs are from minority ethnic backgrounds.

At senior coaching level, according to figures provided by eleven clubs, the figure is 2%.

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

"He's certainly made history in terms of him being announced as the Chelsea head coach, and we hope to witness more such appointments," stated Kick It Out CEO Samuel Okafor.

"We know there is loads of talent present in the black and underrepresented communities... they want the opportunity to show what they can do. We need to persist in work hard to dismantle those barriers down."

Furthermore, Rosenior will become one of only four permanent English managers currently in the Premier League – alongside Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe as well as Scott Parker – a number that trails the continent's remaining major leagues in terms of homegrown representation.

Sixteen of the 20 top-flight coaches in Serie A are Italian, Eleven of the 20 in Spain, 12 of the 18 in Germany while 10 of the 18 in France.

Current Blues interim boss Calum McFarlane said: "I have no doubt every aspiring British coaches with a youth development pedigree will be, to some degree no matter who you support, rooting for Liam.

"It is truly motivating for young English academy coaches to witness someone land that job with his background and everyone hopes he will be highly successful."

It is vital to remember – his appointment is due to ability'

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

In 2019, he received a Member of the Order of the British Empire in that year's 2019 New Year Honours for his services to tackling discrimination in football and wider society.

After Liam hung up his boots he pursued his father's footsteps. He began writing articles for The Guardian, where in 2017 he acknowledged the lack of diversity of black coaches. He highlighted that race does not influence ability arguing that opportunities must be awarded on merit.

He also made the view he has often stated: how vast under-representation results in a failure to understand of players from different cultural and ethnic heritage.

During an interview for a football podcast, he explained the way his leading forward, Emmanuel Emegha, had been described as "difficult" and "emotional", but said he understood the Netherlands international of Nigerian descent. Emegha is set to follow him in moving from Strasbourg to West London this summer.

In further newspaper articles, he also confessed he was "embarrassed" upon hearing an unnamed staff member make a homophobic slur. He vowed support for the Premier League's inclusion campaign and wrote a public message to Donald Trump while he was in office, condemning his "overt" racism.

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

Rosenior said goodbye to his former club earlier this week prior to putting pen to paper on a long-term contract at Chelsea.

The Blues boasted the top flight's first black boss with Gullit as well as the first black captain in Paul Elliott.

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