An Moving Milestone as Liam Rosenior Breaks Obstacles

"Rosenior represents an excellent coach that understands the game intimately, which is the crucial factor.

"However, as the Blues' pioneering African heritage footballer, it would be dishonest if I said this moment does not affect me."

These were the words of the former Chelsea winger, who made his historic first appearance for the Blues' first team as a substitute back in April 1982.

This week, the club named RC Strasbourg manager Rosenior, aged 41, as their next head coach after the departure of manager Enzo Maresca.

The French club is within a multi-club ownership group that also controls the London club.

There have been just 12 black managers – not including those in temporary caretaker roles – in the Premier League since its inception thirty-four in the past.

"What really strikes me about Liam is he grew up and played locally, he knows this area," added Canoville.

"Whenever kids see a figure like Rosenior in charge of their club, a person who looks like them, who's from their ends, who comes from a household that fights for equality… it is impactful demonstrating that opportunities exist.

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

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

What Do the Numbers Indicate?

The iconic Dutchman Ruud Gullit became the Blues' head coach back in the nineties and became the top flight's first African heritage manager.

A dozen years on, by 2008, Paul Ince became the first English black manager in the Premier League when he took over Blackburn Rovers.

West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo is the sole additional current top flight gaffer from a minority ethnic background.

The scarcity of ethnic minority managers throughout English football is matched by an absence of representation in the boardroom.

According to the Black Footballers Partnership 2023's study, 43% of Premier League footballers come from African or Caribbean backgrounds.

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

Regarding first-team coaching level, according to data from eleven clubs, the figure stands at 2%.

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

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

"We know there is loads of talent that exists within black and underrepresented communities... they want the opportunity to show what they can do. We need to persist in striving to break those barriers once and for all."

Furthermore, the new appointee will become the fourth full-time British managers currently managing in the top flight – joining Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe and Scott Parker – which trails Europe's remaining major divisions regarding homegrown representation.

16 of the 20 first division managers in Italy are Italian, 11 in La Liga are Spanish, Twelve in the Bundesliga in Germany while Ten in Ligue 1 are French.

Current Blues interim boss Calum McFarlane said: "I have no doubt all young English coaches from an academy background will be, in some way regardless of allegiance, rooting for Liam.

"It is really inspirational to young English academy coaches to witness someone land that job with his background and everyone hopes he does really well."

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

His father, Leroy, Liam's father, had a career with clubs such as West London clubs, the Hammers as well as Queens Park Rangers, with his managerial career culminating in a brief spell in charge of then-League One side Brentford back in 2006.

Two years ago, he received an MBE in the Honours List for his services to tackling inequality within the sport and beyond.

When Rosenior Jr hung up his boots he followed his father's footsteps. He began penning 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 arguing that roles should be given based on qualification.

He also made a point he would repeat: how significant lack of diversity leads to misunderstandings regarding footballers from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

In a podcast for a football podcast, he explained the way his star striker, Emmanuel Emegha, had been described as "hard to manage" or "emotional", noting that he could relate to the Netherlands player with Nigerian parentage. Emegha is set to follow him in moving from France to Chelsea this summer.

In subsequent Guardian columns, Rosenior also admitted he was "ashamed" upon hearing a staff member utter a discriminatory remark. He vowed his support for the Premier League's Rainbow Laces campaign and authored a public message to the former US President during his first US presidency, condemning his "overt" racism.

He has subsequently built his reputation in the dugout – initially with Hull City, then Strasbourg – and Wayne Rooney said this week he was "as good a coach as I've ever worked with" after their time together with Derby.

Rosenior said goodbye at Strasbourg on Tuesday morning before signing a six‑and‑a‑half‑year contract with the Blues.

Chelsea had the Premier League's first African heritage manager in Gullit and the first black captain named Paul Elliott.

Elliott has since worked in multiple senior positions, including the FA's equality board|