An Emotional Event when Rosenior Breaks Barriers

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

"However, in my role as the Blues' first black player, I would be lying to claim this appointment does not affect me."

Those are the words of Paul Canoville, the man who earned his groundbreaking debut for the Blues' first team as a substitute in April 1982.

On Tuesday, Chelsea appointed RC Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior, 41, to be their next head coach following the departure of Enzo Maresca.

The French club is part of a multi-club BlueCo which also controls Chelsea.

Statistics show only twelve of African or Caribbean heritage managers – not including individuals in interim roles – in England's top flight since its inception thirty-four years ago.

"What really strikes me about Liam is he was raised and developed his game not far from here, he knows this area," continued Canoville.

"When youngsters see a figure like Rosenior in charge of their club, a person they can identify with, who's from their ends, who comes from a family that fights for what's right… it is impactful demonstrating that opportunities exist.

"So yes, it is a huge moment for the club, for the capital, for all young person with big dreams.

"However, currently? We must support Rosenior, give him what he needs, and let the man get on with the job."

What Does the Numbers Indicate?

Dutch legend Ruud Gullit was appointed the Blues' manager in 1996 thereby becoming the top flight's first African heritage manager.

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

West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo is the sole additional current top flight gaffer of colour.

The shortage of managers of colour across English football corresponds with a lack of diversity at executive level.

As per the BFP 2023 study, 43% of top-flight footballers come from black backgrounds.

However, analysis from the equality organization revealed only 3.2% of executive and leadership positions across most Premier League clubs are from minority ethnic communities.

At senior coaching level, according to data provided by 11 clubs, the figure is 2%.

Across all coaching positions – including senior roles – from the same eleven clubs, the figure is just 5%.

"He's certainly broken barriers by virtue of his appointment as a Chelsea head coach, and as an organization, we want to witness more such appointments," said the chief executive of Kick It Out Samuel Okafor.

"We know there is loads of talent present within ethnic minority communities... they want the opportunity to show what they can do. We need to continue to work hard to dismantle those obstacles down."

Furthermore, the new appointee will become the fourth full-time English managers currently in the Premier League – joining Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe as well as Scott Parker – a number that trails Europe's remaining major divisions regarding national managers.

16 out of twenty top-flight coaches in Italy are Italian, Eleven in La Liga in Spain, Twelve in the Bundesliga are German while 10 in Ligue 1 are French.

The present Blues caretaker manager Calum McFarlane said: "I have no doubt all aspiring British coaches with a youth development pedigree will be, in some way no matter who you support, rooting for Liam.

"It is really motivating to up-and-coming British coaches in the system to see someone land such a role with that profile and we hope he will be highly successful."

'Let's not forget – he's there based on talent'

His father, Leroy, Liam's father, played for clubs such as West London clubs, West Ham and Queens Park Rangers, with his coaching stint culminating in a brief stint at the third-tier club Brentford FC back in 2006.

In 2019, he received an MBE in that year's 2019 New Year Honours for services rendered to tackling discrimination within the sport and wider society.

After Liam retired from playing he followed a path in management. He began penning articles for a national newspaper, where in 2017 he acknowledged the lack of diversity among managers. He highlighted that ethnicity does not determine coaching skill and said roles should be given based on qualification.

He also made a point he has often stated: how significant lack of diversity leads to misunderstandings of players from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

During an interview with The Athletic FC, he explained how his leading forward, Emmanuel Emegha, was labelled "difficult" or "emotional", noting that he understood the Dutch player of Nigerian descent. The striker is expected to join him in moving from Strasbourg to West London this summer.

In further Guardian columns, Rosenior also admitted he was "ashamed" to hear a coach make a discriminatory remark. He vowed his support for the inclusion initiative and wrote an open letter to the former US President during his first US presidency, condemning his "blatant" racism.

He has subsequently built his reputation in the dugout – first at Hull City, later at Strasbourg – and Wayne Rooney recently stating he 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 with the Blues.

The Blues had the Premier League's pioneering African heritage manager with Gullit and the first black skipper in Paul Elliott.

Elliott later worked in several executive roles, including the Football Association's equality board|