A Historic Event when Liam Rosenior Breaks Barriers

"Liam Rosenior is a quality tactician that knows the game back to front, and that's what matters most.

"But, as the Blues' first African heritage footballer, it would be dishonest to claim this news fails to move me."

Those are the words of Paul Canoville, the man who made his historic first appearance for the Blues' first team as a substitute back in the spring of 1982.

This week, Chelsea appointed RC Strasbourg boss Rosenior, aged 41, to be their new manager after the departure of Enzo Maresca.

Strasbourg are within the multi-club BlueCo which also controls the London club.

Statistics show just twelve of African or Caribbean heritage head coaches – excluding those in temporary caretaker roles – in the Premier League since it began 34 years ago.

"What really strikes me regarding Rosenior is he was raised and played not far from here, he understands this area," added Canoville.

"When youngsters observe a figure like Rosenior managing their club, a person who looks like them, who's from their ends, who comes from a family that fights for what's right… it is powerful and shows them the path is there.

"So yes, it is an enormous step for Chelsea, for London, for every aspiring individual dreaming big.

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

What Does the Numbers Indicate?

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

A dozen years on, by 2008, Paul Ince became the first black English boss in the Premier League after taking charge at Blackburn Rovers.

The Hammers' boss Nuno Espirito Santo is the sole additional current top flight boss from a minority ethnic background.

The lack of ethnic minority managers throughout English football is matched by a lack of representation in the boardroom.

As per a Black Footballers Partnership 2023's report, 43% of Premier League footballers come from black heritage.

However, analysis from the equality organization 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 positions, according to figures provided by 11 clubs, the percentage is 2%.

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

"He has undoubtedly broken barriers by virtue of him being announced as 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 ability that exists in the ethnic minority communities... they desire the opportunity to show their capabilities. It is imperative to persist in work hard to dismantle those obstacles down."

Furthermore, the new appointee is set to become one of only four permanent British managers currently in the Premier League – joining Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe and Scott Parker – a number that lags behind the continent's other big five divisions regarding national managers.

16 of the 20 first division coaches in Serie A are from Italy, 11 in La Liga are Spanish, Twelve in the Bundesliga in Germany and 10 in Ligue 1 are French.

The present Chelsea caretaker manager Calum McFarlane commented: "I have no doubt all aspiring British managers with a youth development pedigree will be, to some degree no matter who you support, supporting Liam.

"It is really inspirational for up-and-coming British coaches in the system to witness an individual land that job with his background and everyone hopes he will be highly successful."

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

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 brief stint at then-League One side Brentford FC back in 2006.

In 2019, he was awarded an MBE in the 2019 New Year Honours for his services to tackling inequality within the sport and beyond.

When Rosenior Jr hung up his boots he pursued his father's footsteps. He started writing articles for The Guardian, and in one piece he acknowledged the lack of diversity among managers. He pointed out that ethnicity does not determine coaching skill arguing that roles should be given based on qualification.

He also made a point he has often stated: that vast under-representation leads to misunderstandings regarding footballers from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

In a podcast for a football podcast, Rosenior highlighted how his star striker, Emmanuel Emegha, had been described as "difficult" or "passionate", but said he could relate to the Dutch player of Nigerian descent. Emegha is set to join him with a move from Strasbourg to Chelsea this summer.

In subsequent Guardian columns, he also confessed to being "ashamed" upon hearing an unnamed coach utter a discriminatory remark. He pledged his support for the Premier League's inclusion campaign and wrote an open letter to the former US President while he was in office, accusing him of "overt" racism.

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

The manager bid goodbye at Strasbourg earlier this week prior to putting pen to paper on a long-term deal at Chelsea.

The Blues had the top flight's pioneering African heritage boss with Gullit and the first black captain named Paul Elliott.

Elliott has since held multiple executive roles, including the Football Association's diversity and inclusion board|