An Moving Event as Rosenior Overcomes Barriers

"He is a quality tactician that knows the game back to front, which is the crucial factor.

"However, in my role as the Blues' first African heritage player, it would be dishonest if I said this news does not affect me."

Those are the sentiments expressed by Paul Canoville, who earned his groundbreaking first appearance for Chelsea's senior side as a substitute in April 1982.

On Tuesday, Chelsea hired Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior, aged 41, as their new manager after the exit of Enzo Maresca.

Strasbourg are part of a Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital-owned ownership group that also owns Chelsea.

There have been only 12 black managers – not including individuals holding temporary caretaker positions – in England's top flight since its inception 34 years ago.

"One thing that impresses me about Liam is he grew up and played locally, he understands this area," added Canoville.

"Whenever youngsters see someone like Liam managing their club, a person who looks like them, from a similar background, from a family that champions what's right… that's powerful and shows them the path is there.

"So yes, it is an enormous moment for the club, for the capital, for all young person dreaming big.

"But right now? We must support Rosenior, provide him with what he needs, and let the man do his work."

What Do the Data Reveal?

The iconic Dutchman Ruud Gullit was appointed Chelsea head coach in 1996 and became the Premier League's inaugural African heritage manager.

A dozen years on, in 2008, Paul Ince became the first black English manager in the top flight after taking charge at Blackburn Rovers.

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

The shortage of managers of colour throughout the English game is matched by an absence of representation at executive level.

According to a Black Footballers Partnership 2023 study, 43% of top-flight footballers are from African or Caribbean backgrounds.

However, analysis by Kick It Out revealed only 3.2 percent of executive and leadership management teams at most Premier League clubs are from minority ethnic backgrounds.

Regarding senior coaching positions, according to data from 11 clubs, the figure stands at 2%.

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

"He has undoubtedly broken barriers in terms of him being announced as the Chelsea manager, and we hope to witness more such appointments," said Kick It Out CEO Samuel Okafor.

"It is acknowledged there is loads of ability that exists within black and underrepresented communities... aspiring coaches want a chance to show their capabilities. We need to persist in work hard to dismantle those barriers once and for all."

Furthermore, Rosenior is set to become one of only four full-time British head coaches presently in the Premier League – joining Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe and Scott Parker – a number that trails Europe's remaining big five leagues regarding national managers.

16 of the 20 first division managers in Serie A are from Italy, Eleven in La Liga are Spanish, Twelve of the 18 are German and 10 of the 18 are French.

The present Chelsea caretaker manager Calum McFarlane said: "I have no doubt every aspiring British managers from an academy background will be, in some way regardless of allegiance, rooting for Liam.

"It's really motivating for up-and-coming British academy coaches to see someone land that job with that profile and everyone hopes he will be really well."

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

His father, Leroy, Liam's father, had a career with the likes of Fulham, the Hammers and Queens Park Rangers, with his managerial career culminating in a brief spell in charge of then-League One side Brentford FC in 2006.

Two years ago, he received an MBE in that year's 2019 New Year Honours for services rendered to tackling discrimination within the sport and beyond.

After Liam hung up his boots he followed his father's footsteps. He started writing articles for a national newspaper, and in one piece he acknowledged the lack of diversity of black coaches. He pointed out that ethnicity does not influence coaching skill and said roles must be awarded based on qualification.

He further expressed the view he would repeat: that significant under-representation results in misunderstandings regarding footballers with diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

During an interview with The Athletic FC, he explained the way his star striker, Emmanuel Emegha, was labelled "difficult" and "passionate", noting that he understood the Dutch international with Nigerian parentage. Emegha is set to follow him in moving from Strasbourg to West London in July.

In further Guardian columns, Rosenior also admitted he was "embarrassed" to hear a coach make a discriminatory remark. He vowed his support for the Rainbow Laces campaign and wrote an open letter to Donald Trump during his first US presidency, accusing him of "overt" racism.

Rosenior has since built his reputation in the dugout – initially with Hull City, later at Strasbourg – with Wayne Rooney said this week Rosenior was "among the best coaches I've ever worked with" following their time together with Derby.

The manager bid his farewells to his former club on Tuesday morning prior to putting pen to paper on a six‑and‑a‑half‑year deal at Chelsea.

The Blues boasted the Premier League's first black boss in Gullit as well as the first black captain in Paul Elliott.

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