An Historic Milestone when Rosenior Breaks Barriers

"Liam Rosenior is a top manager that knows football back to front, and that's the most important thing.

"But, as Chelsea's first black player, I would be lying if I said this news doesn't move me."

Those are the sentiments of the former Chelsea winger, the man who made his groundbreaking first appearance for Chelsea's senior side as a substitute in the spring of 1982.

This week, Chelsea named RC Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior, aged 41, as their new head coach after the departure of manager Enzo Maresca.

The French club is within a multi-club BlueCo that also controls Chelsea.

There have been only 12 black managers – excluding those holding temporary caretaker positions – in England's top flight since it began 34 in the past.

"What really strikes me regarding Rosenior is that he was raised and developed his game locally, he knows the local fans," continued Canoville.

"Whenever children observe a figure like Rosenior managing their club, a person they can identify with, from a similar background, from a household that fights for equality… that's powerful demonstrating the path is there.

"Indeed, this represents an enormous step for Chelsea, for London, for all young person dreaming big.

"However, currently? We must support Rosenior, provide him with what he needs, and let the man do his work."

What Does the Statistics Show?

The iconic Dutchman Ruud Gullit became the Blues' manager in 1996 thereby becoming the top flight's first African heritage manager.

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

The Hammers' boss Nuno Espirito Santo is the sole additional current top flight gaffer from a minority ethnic background.

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

As per a Black Footballers Partnership 2023 report, forty-three percent of top-flight footballers come from African or Caribbean heritage.

Yet, analysis from Kick It Out found only 3.2% of executive and leadership management teams across most Premier League clubs are from minority ethnic backgrounds.

Regarding first-team coaching level, according to data from eleven clubs, the figure stands at two percent.

For all coaching roles – including senior roles – from those same eleven clubs, the figure is just 5%.

"He's certainly made history in terms of him being announced as the Chelsea manager, and as an organization, we hope to witness more such appointments," said the chief executive of Kick It Out Samuel Okafor.

"We know that there exists a wealth of talent present in the ethnic minority groups... aspiring coaches want the opportunity to show what they can do. It is imperative to continue to striving to dismantle those barriers down."

Furthermore, the new appointee is set to become the fourth permanent British managers currently managing in the top flight – alongside Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe and Scott Parker – a number that trails Europe's other big five leagues in terms of homegrown managers.

16 out of twenty top-flight managers in Serie A are from Italy, 11 in La Liga in Spain, Twelve in the Bundesliga are German while Ten of the 18 in France.

Current Blues interim boss Calum McFarlane said: "I'm sure every young English managers from an academy background will be, in some way no matter who you support, supporting Liam.

"It's truly inspirational for up-and-coming British academy coaches to see someone land such a role with that profile and everyone hopes he does really well."

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

Leroy Rosenior, Rosenior Sr., played for clubs such as Fulham, the Hammers and Queens Park Rangers, and his managerial career culminating in a brief spell in charge of then-League One side Brentford FC in 2006.

In 2019, he received a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 2019 New Year Honours for services rendered in combating discrimination within the sport and beyond.

After Liam hung up his boots he followed a path in management. He started writing a column for a national newspaper, where in 2017 he addressed the under-representation among managers. He pointed out that race does not influence coaching skill arguing that opportunities must be awarded based on qualification.

He further expressed the view he has often stated: how significant under-representation results in misunderstandings regarding footballers from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

During an interview with The Athletic FC, he explained how his star striker, Emmanuel Emegha, was labelled "difficult" and "emotional", noting that he could relate to the Netherlands international with Nigerian parentage. Emegha is set to join him with a move from France to West London this summer.

In further newspaper articles, he also confessed he was "ashamed" upon hearing a coach utter a discriminatory remark. He vowed his support for the Premier League's inclusion initiative and authored a public message to Donald Trump during his first US presidency, accusing him of "overt" racism.

Rosenior has since made his name in the dugout – initially with Hull City, later at Strasbourg – with Wayne Rooney said this week Rosenior was "as good a coach as I've ever worked with" after their time together at Derby County.

The manager bid his farewells at Strasbourg earlier this week before signing a long-term contract with the Blues.

The Blues had the Premier League's pioneering black manager in Gullit and the first black captain in Paul Elliott.

Elliott has since held several senior positions, among them the FA's diversity and inclusion board|