A Historic Occasion when Liam Rosenior Overcomes Obstacles

"Rosenior represents a top tactician who knows the game inside out, which is the most important thing.

"But, as the Blues' pioneering African heritage footballer, it would be dishonest to claim this appointment does not affect me."

These were the words expressed by Paul Canoville, the man who earned his groundbreaking first appearance for the Blues' first team off the bench in April 1982.

On Tuesday, the club appointed RC Strasbourg manager Rosenior, aged 41, as their new manager following the departure of manager Enzo Maresca.

Strasbourg are part of the multi-club ownership group that also owns the London club.

There have been just 12 of African or Caribbean heritage head coaches – excluding individuals holding interim roles – in the Premier League since its inception thirty-four in the past.

"What really strikes me about Liam is that he was raised and played locally, he understands this area," added Canoville.

"When kids see a figure like Rosenior in charge of the team they support, a person they can identify with, from a similar background, who comes from a family that champions equality… that's impactful demonstrating the path is there.

"Indeed, it is a huge step for Chelsea, for the capital, for every aspiring individual with big dreams.

"But right now? Let's back Liam, provide him with the necessary tools, and allow him to do his work."

What Do the Data Show?

Dutch legend Ruud Gullit was appointed the Blues' head coach back in the nineties thereby becoming the top flight's first black head coach.

A dozen years on, by 2008, Paul Ince was appointed as the pioneering English black boss in the Premier League when he took over Blackburn Rovers.

West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo currently stands as the sole additional present top flight gaffer from a minority ethnic background.

The shortage of ethnic minority managers across English football corresponds with an absence of diversity at executive level.

As per the BFP 2023's report, forty-three percent of Premier League players come from black heritage.

However, research by Kick It Out revealed just 3.2% of executive and leadership management teams at 17 of 20 Premier League clubs are from minority ethnic backgrounds.

At first-team coaching level, according to figures from 11 clubs, the figure stands at 2%.

For all coaching roles – including head coaches – from the same eleven clubs, the figure is just five percent.

"He's certainly made history by virtue of his appointment as a Chelsea head coach, and as an organization, we want to witness more such appointments," said Kick It Out CEO Samuel Okafor.

"It is acknowledged there is loads of ability present in the black and underrepresented communities... they want the opportunity to show their capabilities. We need to continue to work hard to dismantle those obstacles once and for all."

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

Sixteen out of twenty first division managers in Italy are Italian, 11 of the 20 in Spain, Twelve in the Bundesliga in Germany while 10 in Ligue 1 are French.

Current Chelsea interim boss Calum McFarlane commented: "I'm sure all young English coaches with a youth development pedigree are, in some way regardless of allegiance, supporting Liam.

"It's truly motivating to young English academy coaches to see an individual get that job with that profile and everyone hopes he does highly successful."

'Let's not forget – he's there on merit'

His father, Leroy, Rosenior Sr., played for clubs such as Fulham, the Hammers and Queens Park Rangers, with his managerial career culminating in a brief stint in charge of the third-tier club Brentford in 2006.

In 2019, he was awarded an MBE in that year's Honours List for his services to tackling inequality within the sport and wider society.

After Liam retired from playing he followed a path in management. He started penning articles for a national newspaper, where in 2017 he acknowledged the under-representation of black coaches. He pointed out that ethnicity does not determine coaching skill arguing that roles must be awarded on merit.

He further expressed a point he has often stated: that vast under-representation leads to a failure to understand regarding footballers with diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

During an interview with The Athletic FC, Rosenior highlighted how his leading forward, Emmanuel Emegha, had been described as "hard to manage" and "emotional", but said he could relate to the Netherlands international of Nigerian descent. The striker is expected to join him in moving from Strasbourg to Chelsea in July.

In subsequent newspaper articles, he also confessed he was "ashamed" to hear a staff member make a homophobic slur. He vowed his support for the inclusion initiative and wrote a public message to the former US President during his first US presidency, accusing him of "overt" racism.

Rosenior has since made his name as a manager – first at Hull City, later at Strasbourg – and Wayne Rooney said this week he was "among the best coaches I've ever worked with" after their collaboration with Derby.

The manager bid goodbye to his former club earlier this week prior to putting pen to paper on a long-term deal with the Blues.

The Blues had the top flight's first African heritage boss with Gullit as well as the first black skipper in Paul Elliott.

Elliott has since worked in multiple senior positions, among them the Football Association's equality board|