A Historic Moment when Liam Rosenior Breaks Barriers

"Liam Rosenior is an excellent manager who knows football back to front, which is the crucial factor.

"However, as Chelsea's pioneering African heritage footballer, I would be lying if I said this news doesn't move me."

These were the sentiments expressed by Paul Canoville, who made his groundbreaking first appearance for the Blues' first team as a substitute in April 1982.

On Tuesday, Chelsea named RC Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior, aged 41, as their new manager following the exit of Enzo Maresca.

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

Statistics show just 12 black managers – not including those in temporary caretaker positions – 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," continued Canoville.

"Whenever children observe a figure like Rosenior in charge of their club, someone they can identify with, who's from their ends, who comes from a household that fights for what's right… it is profound demonstrating that opportunities exist.

"So yes, this represents an enormous moment for Chelsea, for the capital, for every young person dreaming big.

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

What Does the Statistics Reveal?

Dutch legend Ruud Gullit was appointed the Blues' manager back in the nineties thereby becoming the top flight's first black head coach.

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

The Hammers' manager Nuno Espirito Santo currently stands as the sole additional current top flight boss of colour.

The scarcity of managers of colour throughout the English game is matched by a lack of diversity in the boardroom.

According to a BFP 2023 report, 43% of Premier League players come from African or Caribbean backgrounds.

Yet, research from Kick It Out found just 3.2 percent of board and senior leadership management teams across 17 of 20 Premier League clubs are held by people from ethnically diverse backgrounds.

At first-team coaching level, according to figures from eleven clubs, the figure is two percent.

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

"He has undoubtedly made history by virtue of him being announced as the Chelsea manager, and we want to witness more such appointments," said the chief executive of Kick It Out Samuel Okafor.

"It is acknowledged that there exists loads of talent present within black and underrepresented groups... they desire a chance to demonstrate what they can do. We need to persist in work hard to dismantle those obstacles down."

Additionally, Rosenior will become the fourth permanent British managers presently in the Premier League – alongside Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe and Scott Parker – a number that trails the continent's other major divisions in terms of homegrown managers.

16 of the 20 top-flight coaches in Italy are Italian, 11 in La Liga in Spain, Twelve in the Bundesliga in Germany while 10 of the 18 are French.

Current Blues interim boss Calum McFarlane said: "I'm sure all aspiring British coaches with a youth development pedigree are, to some degree no matter who you support, rooting for Liam.

"It is truly motivating to young English coaches in the system to see an individual get that job with his background and everyone hopes he does really well."

It is vital to remember – he's there due to ability'

His father, Leroy, Rosenior Sr., played for clubs such as West London clubs, West Ham and Queens Park Rangers, with his managerial career culminating in a brief spell at then-League One side Brentford FC 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 to tackling inequality in football and wider society.

When Rosenior Jr retired from playing he pursued his father's footsteps. He began writing a column for a national newspaper, and in one piece he addressed the lack of diversity among managers. He highlighted that race does not influence coaching skill and said opportunities should be given based on qualification.

He further expressed the view he has often stated: that vast lack of diversity leads to a failure to understand regarding footballers from different cultural and ethnic heritage.

During an interview for a football podcast, he explained the way his leading forward, Emmanuel Emegha, was labelled "hard to manage" or "emotional", but said he could relate to the Dutch international with Nigerian parentage. Emegha is set to follow him with a move from Strasbourg to West London this summer.

In subsequent Guardian columns, Rosenior also admitted he was "embarrassed" to hear a staff member make a homophobic slur. He pledged support for the Rainbow Laces campaign and authored an open letter to the former US President while he was in office, condemning his "overt" prejudice.

Rosenior has since made his name as a manager – initially with Hull City, then Strasbourg – with Wayne Rooney said this week Rosenior was "as good a coach as I've ever worked with" following their time together with Derby.

Rosenior said his farewells at Strasbourg earlier this week 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 named Paul Elliott.

Elliott later held multiple senior positions, including the Football Association's equality board|