An Historic Milestone as Rosenior Breaks Barriers

"He is an excellent coach that understands football inside out, which is the most important thing.

"However, as the Blues' pioneering black player, it would be dishonest to claim this news does not affect me."

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

On Tuesday, Chelsea hired Strasbourg manager Rosenior, aged 41, to be their next head coach following the exit of manager Enzo Maresca.

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

There have been only 12 of African or Caribbean heritage head coaches – excluding those in temporary caretaker positions – in the Premier League since its inception thirty-four years ago.

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

"Whenever kids observe someone like Liam in charge of the team they support, someone they can identify with, from a similar background, from a family that fights for what's right… that's profound and shows them that opportunities exist.

"So yes, this represents a huge step for the club, for the capital, for every aspiring individual dreaming big.

"But right now? Let's back Liam, give him what he needs, and allow him to get on with the job."

What Does the Numbers Show?

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

A dozen years on, in 2008, Paul Ince was appointed as the first English black manager in the Premier League after taking charge at Blackburn Rovers.

The Hammers' manager Nuno Espirito Santo currently stands as the sole additional current Premier League gaffer from a minority ethnic background.

The shortage of ethnic minority managers across English football is matched by a lack of diversity at executive level.

According to a BFP 2023's study, forty-three percent of Premier League footballers are from African or Caribbean heritage.

Yet, analysis by Kick It Out found only 3.2 percent of board and senior leadership management teams across 17 of 20 Premier League clubs are held by people from ethnically diverse backgrounds.

Regarding first-team coaching positions, according to data from 11 clubs, the figure is 2%.

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

"He's certainly made history by virtue of his appointment as a Chelsea manager, and we want to see more of that," said Kick It Out CEO Samuel Okafor.

"It is acknowledged that there exists a wealth of ability present in the ethnic minority communities... aspiring coaches desire a chance to demonstrate their capabilities. We need to continue to striving to dismantle those obstacles down."

Furthermore, the new appointee will become one of only four full-time British head coaches presently in the Premier League – alongside Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe as well as Scott Parker – which lags behind Europe's remaining big five leagues regarding homegrown managers.

Sixteen out of twenty first division coaches in Italy are from Italy, Eleven in La Liga in Spain, 12 of the 18 are German and Ten in Ligue 1 in France.

The present Blues interim boss Calum McFarlane said: "I'm sure all aspiring British managers from an academy background will be, to some degree regardless of allegiance, rooting for Liam.

"It is really motivating for young English academy coaches to see an individual get such a role with that profile and we hope he will be highly successful."

It is vital to remember – he's there on merit'

His father, Leroy, Rosenior Sr., had a career with clubs such as Fulham, West Ham and Queens Park Rangers, and his managerial career culminating in a brief spell in charge of then-League One side Brentford FC back in 2006.

In 2019, he was awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 2019 New Year Honours for his services to tackling inequality in football and wider society.

When Rosenior Jr hung up his boots he pursued a path in management. He began penning a column for The Guardian, and in one piece he acknowledged the lack of diversity of black coaches. He highlighted that ethnicity does not determine ability and said roles should be given based on qualification.

He further expressed the view he would repeat: how vast lack of diversity results in misunderstandings of players from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

During an interview with The Athletic FC, he explained how his leading forward, Emmanuel Emegha, was labelled "difficult" or "passionate", noting that he understood the Netherlands international with Nigerian parentage. Emegha is set to join him in moving from France to West London in July.

In subsequent Guardian columns, Rosenior also admitted to being "ashamed" upon hearing a coach make a homophobic slur. He vowed support for the Rainbow Laces campaign and wrote a public message to the former US President during his first US presidency, accusing him of "blatant" prejudice.

Rosenior has since built his reputation in the dugout – first at Hull City, then Strasbourg – with Wayne Rooney recently stating he was "among the best coaches I've ever worked with" after their time together with Derby.

The manager bid goodbye to his former club on Tuesday morning prior to putting pen to paper on a six‑and‑a‑half‑year contract at Chelsea.

The Blues had the top flight's first black boss in Gullit and the first black skipper in Paul Elliott.

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