An Emotional Moment as Rosenior Overcomes Barriers

"Liam Rosenior is a top coach who knows football back to front, and that's the most important thing.

"But, as Chelsea's first African heritage player, it would be dishonest to claim this news fails to move me."

These were the words of the former Chelsea winger, the man who earned his groundbreaking debut for the Blues' first team off the bench in the spring of 1982.

This week, the club hired Strasbourg manager Rosenior, 41, to be their new head coach following the departure of manager Enzo Maresca.

Strasbourg are within the multi-club BlueCo that also owns Chelsea.

There have been just 12 of African or Caribbean heritage head coaches – not including individuals in temporary caretaker positions – in the Premier League since it began thirty-four in the past.

"One thing that impresses me regarding Rosenior is that he grew up and played locally, he understands this community," added Canoville.

"When children see someone like Liam in charge of their club, someone they can identify with, who's from their ends, from a family that fights for what's right… that's profound demonstrating the path is there.

"Indeed, it is a huge moment for Chelsea, for the capital, for all young person dreaming big.

"However, currently? Let's back Liam, give him what he needs, and let the man do his work."

What Exactly Does the Statistics Reveal?

Dutch legend Ruud Gullit was appointed the Blues' head coach in 1996 and became the top flight's inaugural African heritage head coach.

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

The Hammers' boss Nuno Espirito Santo is the only other present top flight gaffer of colour.

The shortage of managers of colour throughout the English game is matched by an absence of representation in the boardroom.

As per a BFP 2023's study, 43% of top-flight players are from black heritage.

Yet, research by Kick It Out found just 3.2 percent of board and senior leadership management teams at most Premier League clubs are held by people from minority ethnic communities.

At senior coaching level, according to figures provided by eleven clubs, the percentage is two percent.

Across all coaching roles – including senior roles – from the same 11 clubs, the statistic is just five percent.

"He's certainly made history by virtue of his appointment as a the Chelsea head coach, and we hope to see more of that," said the chief executive of Kick It Out Samuel Okafor.

"It is acknowledged there is a wealth of ability present within black and underrepresented groups... they desire the opportunity to demonstrate what they can do. It is imperative to persist in work hard to break those obstacles down."

Additionally, the new appointee is set to become the fourth permanent British managers presently managing in the top flight – joining Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe and Scott Parker – which trails Europe's remaining major leagues in terms of national representation.

Sixteen of the 20 first division coaches in Italy are from Italy, 11 of the 20 are Spanish, 12 in the Bundesliga in Germany while 10 of the 18 in France.

Current Chelsea interim boss Calum McFarlane said: "I have no doubt all aspiring British coaches from an academy background are, in some way no matter who you support, supporting Liam.

"It's really motivating for young English coaches in the system to see an individual land that job with his background and everyone hopes he will be really well."

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

His father, Leroy, Rosenior Sr., had a career with clubs such as West London clubs, West Ham as well as Queens Park Rangers, and his coaching stint peaked with a brief spell at the third-tier club Brentford FC in 2006.

Two years ago, he was awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire in that year's 2019 New Year Honours for his services to tackling discrimination in football and wider society.

When Rosenior Jr retired from playing he followed a path in management. He began penning a column for a national newspaper, and in one piece he addressed the lack of diversity of black coaches. He pointed out that ethnicity does not determine coaching skill arguing that opportunities should be given based on qualification.

He further expressed the view he would repeat: that vast lack of diversity leads to a failure to understand 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", but said he could relate to the Netherlands player of Nigerian descent. Emegha is set to follow him in moving from France to West London in July.

In further Guardian columns, he also confessed he was "embarrassed" to hear a staff member make a homophobic slur. 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, condemning his "blatant" racism.

He has subsequently built his reputation as a manager – initially with Hull City, then Strasbourg – with Wayne Rooney recently stating Rosenior was "as good a coach as I've ever worked with" following their collaboration at Derby County.

The manager bid goodbye at Strasbourg on Tuesday morning prior to putting pen to paper on a six‑and‑a‑half‑year deal with the Blues.

Chelsea had the top flight's pioneering black boss with Gullit and the first black captain in Paul Elliott.

Elliott later held several senior positions, among them the FA's equality board|