An Moving Milestone as Liam Rosenior Breaks Obstacles

"He is a quality tactician that knows the game back to front, which is the crucial factor.

"However, as Chelsea's pioneering black footballer, it would be dishonest to claim this appointment doesn't move me."

Those are the words of the former Chelsea winger, who made his historic first appearance for Chelsea's senior side as a substitute in April 1982.

On Tuesday, the club named Strasbourg manager Rosenior, aged 41, to be their new manager following the departure of Enzo Maresca.

The French club is within a multi-club ownership group which also controls Chelsea.

Statistics show only 12 black managers – excluding individuals in temporary caretaker positions – in England's top flight since its inception 34 years ago.

"What really strikes me regarding Rosenior is that he was raised and developed his game not far from here, he knows this community," added Canoville.

"When kids observe a figure like Rosenior in charge of the team they support, someone who looks like them, who's from their ends, from a household that champions what's right… that's impactful and shows them the path is there.

"So yes, it is an enormous step for Chelsea, for London, for all aspiring individual with big dreams.

"But right now? We must support Rosenior, provide him with the necessary tools, and let the man get on with the job."

What Exactly Does the Statistics Indicate?

Dutch legend Ruud Gullit became the Blues' head coach in 1996 thereby becoming the top flight's first black manager.

A dozen years on, in 2008, Paul Ince became the pioneering English black manager in the top flight when he took over Blackburn Rovers.

The Hammers' boss Nuno Espirito Santo is the sole additional present top flight boss of colour.

The lack of managers of colour throughout the English game is matched by an absence of representation at executive level.

As per a BFP 2023 report, 43% of top-flight footballers are from African or Caribbean backgrounds.

However, research from Kick It Out found only 3.2 percent of executive and leadership positions across most Premier League clubs are from minority ethnic communities.

Regarding senior coaching level, based on data from 11 clubs, the percentage stands at 2%.

Across all coaching positions – encompassing head coaches – from the same 11 clubs, the figure is just five percent.

"He has undoubtedly broken barriers by virtue of his appointment as the 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 present within ethnic minority groups... aspiring coaches want a chance to demonstrate their capabilities. We need to persist in striving to dismantle those barriers down."

Additionally, Rosenior will become one of only four permanent British head coaches presently managing in the top flight – joining Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe and Scott Parker – a number that lags behind the continent's other major divisions in terms of homegrown managers.

Sixteen out of twenty first division coaches in Italy are Italian, Eleven in La Liga in Spain, Twelve in the Bundesliga in Germany and Ten in Ligue 1 in France.

The present Chelsea interim boss Calum McFarlane said: "I have no doubt every aspiring British coaches from an academy background will be, to some degree no matter who you support, rooting for Liam.

"It's truly motivating to up-and-coming British academy coaches to see someone get that job with his background and we hope he will be highly successful."

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

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

Two years ago, he received an MBE in that year's 2019 New Year Honours for his services in combating discrimination in football and wider society.

After Liam hung up his boots he pursued his father's footsteps. He started writing a column for a national newspaper, and in one piece he addressed the lack of diversity among managers. He pointed out that ethnicity does not determine ability arguing that roles must be awarded on merit.

He further expressed a point he has often stated: that vast lack of diversity leads to misunderstandings of players from different cultural and ethnic heritage.

During an interview with The Athletic FC, he explained the way his star striker, Emmanuel Emegha, was labelled "hard to manage" and "passionate", but said he understood the Dutch player of Nigerian descent. Emegha is set to follow him in moving from Strasbourg to West London in July.

In subsequent Guardian columns, Rosenior also admitted he was "ashamed" to hear a coach utter a homophobic slur. He pledged support for the Rainbow Laces campaign and wrote a public message to the former US President while he was in office, accusing him of "blatant" prejudice.

Rosenior has since made his name in the dugout – initially with Hull City, then Strasbourg – with 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 goodbye to his former club on Tuesday morning before signing a long-term contract at Chelsea.

The Blues had the Premier League's pioneering black boss in Gullit as well as the first black skipper named Paul Elliott.

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