An Emotional Occasion as Rosenior Breaks Barriers

"He is a quality coach that understands football intimately, which is what matters most.

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

Those are the sentiments expressed by Paul Canoville, who made his groundbreaking debut for Chelsea's senior side as a substitute back in the spring of 1982.

This week, Chelsea named Strasbourg boss Liam Rosenior, 41, to be their next head coach following the departure of manager Enzo Maresca.

The French club is part of the multi-club ownership group which also owns Chelsea.

Statistics show only 12 of African or Caribbean heritage head coaches – not including individuals holding temporary caretaker positions – in the Premier League since its inception thirty-four years ago.

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

"Whenever kids observe a figure like Rosenior managing the team they support, someone who looks like them, from a similar background, from a household that fights for what's right… it is profound and shows them the path is there.

"Indeed, it is an enormous step for the club, for the capital, for all young person with big dreams.

"But right now? We must support Rosenior, provide him with the necessary tools, and allow him to get on with the job."

What Does the Numbers Show?

Dutch legend Ruud Gullit was appointed Chelsea head coach back in the nineties thereby becoming the top flight's inaugural African heritage head coach.

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

The Hammers' manager Nuno Espirito Santo currently stands as the only other current top flight gaffer from a minority ethnic background.

The scarcity of managers of colour throughout the English game is matched by a lack of representation at executive level.

As per a BFP 2023 study, forty-three percent of top-flight footballers come from African or Caribbean heritage.

Yet, analysis from Kick It Out found only 3.2% of board and senior leadership management teams at 17 of 20 Premier League clubs are from minority ethnic communities.

Regarding senior coaching positions, according to data provided by 11 clubs, the figure is two percent.

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

"He has undoubtedly broken barriers in terms of his appointment as a the Chelsea head coach, and as an organization, we want to see more of that," stated Kick It Out CEO Samuel Okafor.

"We know that there exists a wealth of ability present within ethnic minority communities... aspiring coaches desire a chance to show their capabilities. We need to persist in work hard to dismantle those barriers down."

Additionally, the new appointee is set to become one of only four permanent British managers currently in the Premier League – alongside Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe and Scott Parker – which lags behind Europe's other big five divisions in terms of national representation.

Sixteen out of twenty first division managers in Serie A are from Italy, Eleven in La Liga in Spain, 12 in the Bundesliga in Germany while Ten in Ligue 1 in France.

The present Blues caretaker manager Calum McFarlane said: "I have no doubt all aspiring British coaches from an academy background will be, to some degree no matter who you support, supporting Liam.

"It is truly inspirational for young English coaches in the system to see an individual land such a role with that profile and everyone hopes he does really well."

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

His father, Leroy, Liam's father, had a career with clubs such as Fulham, West Ham and Queens Park Rangers, and his managerial career culminating in a five-month spell at the third-tier club Brentford FC back in 2006.

Two years ago, he was awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the Honours List for his services to tackling inequality within the sport and wider society.

When Rosenior Jr hung up his boots he followed his father's footsteps. He started penning articles for a national newspaper, where in 2017 he acknowledged the under-representation among managers. He pointed out that ethnicity does not influence ability and said opportunities should be given based on qualification.

He also made the view he has often stated: that vast under-representation leads to a failure to understand of players from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

During an interview for a football podcast, he explained how his star striker, Emmanuel Emegha, was labelled "difficult" or "emotional", noting that he understood the Netherlands player with Nigerian parentage. The striker is expected to follow him with a move from France to West London this summer.

In subsequent Guardian columns, he also confessed he was "ashamed" upon hearing a staff member make a discriminatory remark. He pledged his support for the inclusion campaign and authored an open letter to Donald Trump while he was in office, accusing him of "blatant" racism.

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

Rosenior said goodbye at Strasbourg on Tuesday morning before signing a long-term deal with the Blues.

The Blues had the top flight's pioneering black manager with Gullit and the first black skipper named Paul Elliott.

Elliott later held several executive roles, among them the Football Association's diversity and inclusion board|