A Emotional Moment when Rosenior Overcomes Obstacles

"He is a quality manager who knows football back to front, and that's the most important thing.

"But, in my role as the Blues' pioneering African heritage player, it would be dishonest if I said this moment doesn't move me."

These were the words of Paul Canoville, who made his groundbreaking debut for the Blues' first team off the bench back in the spring of 1982.

This week, Chelsea appointed Strasbourg boss Rosenior, 41, as their new manager following the exit of Enzo Maresca.

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

There have been a mere 12 of African or Caribbean heritage managers – not including individuals holding temporary caretaker roles – in England's top flight since its inception 34 in the past.

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

"Whenever kids see someone like Liam in charge of the team they support, a person who looks like them, who's from their ends, who comes from a household that champions what's right… it is impactful demonstrating that opportunities exist.

"Indeed, this represents a massive step for Chelsea, for the capital, for all young person dreaming big.

"However, currently? Let's back Liam, provide him with what he needs, and allow him to get on with the job."

What Do the Data Indicate?

Dutch legend Ruud Gullit was appointed the Blues' head coach in 1996 thereby becoming the top flight's first African heritage head coach.

Twelve years later, by 2008, Paul Ince became the first black English boss in the Premier League when he took over Blackburn Rovers.

West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo is the sole additional current top flight boss of colour.

The shortage of ethnic minority managers across the English game corresponds with a lack of diversity in the boardroom.

According to a BFP 2023 study, forty-three percent of top-flight players come from black backgrounds.

Yet, research by the equality organization found only 3.2 percent of executive and leadership management teams at 17 of 20 Premier League clubs are held by people from minority ethnic communities.

At first-team coaching level, based on data provided by 11 clubs, the figure stands at 2%.

For all coaching positions – encompassing head coaches – from the same eleven clubs, the figure is 5%.

"He has undoubtedly broken barriers in terms of his appointment as a Chelsea manager, and we want to see more of that," stated the chief executive of Kick It Out Samuel Okafor.

"We know there is loads of talent present in the ethnic minority groups... they want a chance to demonstrate what they can do. It is imperative to persist in work hard to break those barriers once and for all."

Additionally, the new appointee is set to become the fourth permanent British managers presently in the Premier League – alongside Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe and Scott Parker – a number that trails Europe's remaining major divisions in terms of national managers.

16 of the 20 first division managers in Serie A are Italian, 11 of the 20 are Spanish, 12 of the 18 are German and Ten in Ligue 1 are French.

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

"It's truly inspirational to up-and-coming British academy coaches to see an individual get that job with his background and we hope he does really well."

It is vital to remember – his appointment is due to ability'

His father, Leroy, Rosenior Sr., played for the likes of West London clubs, the Hammers as well as Queens Park Rangers, with his managerial career culminating in a brief stint at the third-tier club Brentford back in 2006.

Two years ago, he was awarded an MBE in the 2019 New Year Honours for services rendered to tackling discrimination in football and beyond.

After Liam retired from playing he pursued a path in management. He began penning a column for The Guardian, where in 2017 he addressed the under-representation among managers. He pointed out that ethnicity does not influence coaching skill and said opportunities should be given on merit.

He further expressed a point he has often stated: that significant under-representation results in a failure to understand of players with diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

During an interview for a football podcast, Rosenior highlighted the way his star striker, Emmanuel Emegha, was labelled "difficult" and "emotional", noting that he understood the Netherlands international of Nigerian descent. The striker is expected to follow him in moving from France to Chelsea in July.

In further Guardian columns, he also confessed he was "ashamed" upon hearing a coach make a discriminatory remark. He pledged support for the Premier League's Rainbow Laces initiative and wrote a public message to the former US President while he was in office, condemning his "overt" racism.

He has subsequently built his reputation as a manager – initially with Hull City, later at Strasbourg – and Wayne Rooney recently stating Rosenior was "as good a coach as I've ever worked with" after their time together with Derby.

The manager bid his farewells to his former club on Tuesday morning before signing a six‑and‑a‑half‑year contract at Chelsea.

Chelsea had the Premier League's pioneering African heritage boss in Gullit as well as the first black skipper named Paul Elliott.

Elliott later worked in multiple senior positions, including the FA's diversity and inclusion board|