An Powerful Event as Rosenior Breaks Barriers

"He is a top coach who knows the game back to front, which is what matters most.

"However, in my role as Chelsea's pioneering black player, I would be lying if I said this news fails to move me."

Those are the words expressed by the former Chelsea winger, the man who made his groundbreaking first appearance for the Blues' first team off the bench in the spring of 1982.

On Tuesday, Chelsea appointed Strasbourg boss Rosenior, 41, to be their next head coach following the departure of Enzo Maresca.

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

Statistics show just 12 of African or Caribbean heritage managers – excluding individuals holding temporary caretaker roles – in the Premier League since its inception 34 years ago.

"One thing that impresses me regarding Rosenior is that he was raised and played locally, he knows this community," added Canoville.

"Whenever children observe a figure like Rosenior managing their club, someone they can identify with, who's from their ends, from a household that champions equality… it is impactful and shows them that opportunities exist.

"So yes, this represents a massive moment for the club, for London, for all aspiring individual with big dreams.

"However, currently? We must support Rosenior, provide him with what he needs, and allow him to get on with the job."

What Exactly Does the Statistics Show?

The iconic Dutchman Ruud Gullit was appointed Chelsea manager back in the nineties and became the top flight's inaugural black head coach.

Twelve years later, in 2008, Paul Ince was appointed as the pioneering black English manager in the Premier League when he took over Blackburn Rovers.

West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo is the only other current top flight gaffer of colour.

The scarcity of managers of colour throughout English football corresponds with a lack of representation at executive level.

As per the Black Footballers Partnership 2023 report, forty-three percent of top-flight footballers come from black backgrounds.

However, analysis by Kick It Out revealed only 3.2 percent of board and senior leadership positions across 17 of 20 Premier League clubs are held by people from minority ethnic communities.

Regarding senior coaching positions, based on data from 11 clubs, the figure stands at two percent.

Across all coaching positions – including senior roles – from the same eleven clubs, the figure is 5%.

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

"It is acknowledged that there exists loads of ability present within ethnic minority communities... they want a chance to demonstrate what they can do. It is imperative to continue to striving to break those obstacles down."

Additionally, the new appointee is set to become the fourth permanent English head coaches presently managing in the top flight – joining Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe as well as Scott Parker – a number that trails the continent's other big five divisions in terms of national managers.

16 of the 20 first division managers in Serie A are Italian, 11 of the 20 in Spain, Twelve of the 18 are German and 10 of the 18 are French.

Current Chelsea caretaker manager Calum McFarlane commented: "I have no doubt all aspiring British managers from an academy background will be, to some degree no matter who you support, supporting Liam.

"It is really motivating to up-and-coming British academy coaches to see an individual get that job with his background and we hope he will be highly successful."

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

Leroy Rosenior, Liam's father, had a career with the likes of Fulham, the Hammers as well as Queens Park Rangers, with his coaching stint culminating in a brief stint in charge of then-League One side Brentford back in 2006.

Two years ago, he received a Member of the Order of the British Empire in that year's 2019 New Year Honours for his services in combating discrimination within the sport and beyond.

After Liam retired from playing he pursued his father's footsteps. He started writing a column for The Guardian, where in 2017 he acknowledged the under-representation of black coaches. He pointed out that ethnicity does not influence ability arguing that roles should be given based on qualification.

He further expressed a point he would repeat: how significant under-representation leads to misunderstandings regarding footballers from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

In a podcast with The Athletic FC, he explained how his leading forward, Emmanuel Emegha, had been described as "difficult" or "passionate", noting that he understood the Netherlands international with Nigerian parentage. Emegha is set to follow him with a move from France to Chelsea in July.

In further newspaper articles, Rosenior also admitted to being "ashamed" to hear a coach utter a discriminatory remark. He vowed his support for the Premier League's Rainbow Laces initiative and authored a public message to Donald Trump while he was in office, accusing him of "blatant" prejudice.

He has subsequently built his reputation in the dugout – initially with Hull City, later at Strasbourg – and Wayne Rooney said this week Rosenior was "among the best coaches I've ever worked with" after 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 long-term deal at Chelsea.

Chelsea boasted the Premier League's pioneering African heritage boss with Gullit and the first black skipper in Paul Elliott.

Elliott later worked in several executive roles, among them the FA's equality board|