An Emotional Event as Liam Rosenior Breaks Barriers

"He is an excellent manager that knows football back to front, and that's what matters most.

"But, as Chelsea's pioneering African heritage footballer, I would be lying if I said this appointment does not affect me."

These were the sentiments of Paul Canoville, who earned his historic first appearance for Chelsea's senior side off the bench in the spring of 1982.

This week, the club named RC Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior, aged 41, as their new manager following the exit of manager Enzo Maresca.

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

Statistics show only 12 black managers – excluding those in temporary caretaker positions – in England's top flight since it began 34 years ago.

"What really strikes me about Liam is he was raised and played locally, he knows this community," added Canoville.

"When children see someone like Liam in charge of their club, someone who looks like them, from a similar background, who comes from a family that champions what's right… it is impactful demonstrating that opportunities exist.

"Indeed, this represents an enormous step for the club, for London, for all aspiring individual with big dreams.

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

What Does the Data Reveal?

The iconic Dutchman Ruud Gullit was appointed the Blues' manager back in the nineties thereby becoming the top flight's inaugural African heritage manager.

A dozen years on, by 2008, Paul Ince became 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 ethnic minority managers across the English game is matched by a lack of representation at executive level.

According to a Black Footballers Partnership 2023's study, 43% of top-flight footballers are from black backgrounds.

However, research from Kick It Out found just 3.2% of board and senior leadership positions across 17 of 20 Premier League clubs are from ethnically diverse communities.

Regarding first-team coaching positions, based on data provided by 11 clubs, the percentage is two percent.

For all coaching roles – encompassing senior roles – from the same 11 clubs, the figure is just 5%.

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

"We know there is a wealth of ability that exists in the ethnic minority communities... they desire the opportunity to demonstrate their capabilities. It is imperative to persist in striving to break those obstacles down."

Furthermore, Rosenior will become the fourth permanent English head coaches currently managing in the top flight – alongside Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe and Scott Parker – a number that trails Europe's remaining major divisions in terms of homegrown managers.

Sixteen out of twenty first division coaches in Italy are Italian, 11 of the 20 are Spanish, 12 of the 18 in Germany and Ten in Ligue 1 in France.

The present Blues caretaker manager Calum McFarlane said: "I'm sure all young English coaches from an academy background are, to some degree regardless of allegiance, supporting Liam.

"It's truly motivating for young English coaches in the system to see an individual land such a role with his background and we hope he will be really well."

'Let's not forget – his appointment is based on talent'

His father, Leroy, Rosenior Sr., had a career with the likes of Fulham, the Hammers and Queens Park Rangers, and his coaching stint culminating in a five-month 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 the Honours List for his services in combating inequality within the sport and wider society.

After Liam retired from playing he pursued his father's footsteps. He started writing a column for The Guardian, where in 2017 he addressed the lack of diversity among managers. He highlighted that race does not influence ability arguing that opportunities should be given on merit.

He also made the view he would repeat: that significant under-representation results in misunderstandings regarding footballers with diverse ethnic and cultural heritage.

During an interview with The Athletic FC, he explained the way his star striker, Emmanuel Emegha, was labelled "hard to manage" and "emotional", noting that he understood the Dutch player of Nigerian descent. The striker is expected to follow him in moving from Strasbourg to West London in July.

In further Guardian columns, he also confessed to being "ashamed" upon hearing an unnamed staff member make a discriminatory remark. He vowed support for the Premier League's Rainbow Laces initiative and authored an open letter to the former US President while he was in office, accusing him of "overt" racism.

Rosenior has since built his reputation as a manager – first at Hull City, later at Strasbourg – and Wayne Rooney recently stating he was "among the best coaches I've ever worked with" after their collaboration at Derby County.

Rosenior said goodbye at Strasbourg earlier this week before signing a long-term deal at Chelsea.

Chelsea had the top flight's first African heritage manager in Gullit and the first black captain in Paul Elliott.

Elliott later held multiple senior positions, among them the FA's diversity and inclusion board|