A Moving Moment when Rosenior Breaks Obstacles

"He is an excellent coach who knows football inside out, and that's the crucial factor.

"But, as the Blues' first black footballer, I would be lying to claim this appointment doesn't move me."

Those are the sentiments expressed by Paul Canoville, the man who made his groundbreaking first appearance for Chelsea's senior side as a substitute in April 1982.

On Tuesday, the club named Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior, aged 41, to be their next head coach after the exit of manager Enzo Maresca.

The French club is within the multi-club BlueCo which also controls Chelsea.

There have been a mere 12 black managers – not including those holding temporary caretaker positions – in the Premier League since its inception 34 years ago.

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

"Whenever children see 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 equality… it is impactful and shows them that opportunities exist.

"So yes, it is a massive moment for Chelsea, for London, for all young person dreaming big.

"But right now? Let's back Liam, provide him with the necessary tools, and let the man get on with the job."

What Exactly Do the Statistics Reveal?

The iconic Dutchman Ruud Gullit was appointed the Blues' manager in 1996 and became the top flight's inaugural African heritage head coach.

Twelve years later, by 2008, Paul Ince was appointed as the first black English manager in the top flight when he took over Blackburn Rovers.

The Hammers' manager Nuno Espirito Santo is the only other current top flight boss of colour.

The lack of ethnic minority managers throughout English football is matched by an absence of representation at executive level.

According to the Black Footballers Partnership 2023's report, forty-three percent of Premier League players come from black backgrounds.

However, research by Kick It Out revealed only 3.2% of executive and leadership management teams at most Premier League clubs are held by people from ethnically diverse communities.

At senior coaching level, based on data provided by 11 clubs, the figure is 2%.

For all coaching roles – encompassing head coaches – from those same eleven clubs, the figure is just 5%.

"He's certainly broken barriers by virtue of his appointment as Chelsea head coach, and as an organization, we want to see more of that," stated Kick It Out CEO Samuel Okafor.

"We know that there exists a wealth of talent present within ethnic minority groups... aspiring coaches desire the opportunity to demonstrate what they can do. We need to continue to work hard to break those obstacles down."

Furthermore, the new appointee is set to become the fourth permanent English managers presently in the Premier League – joining Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe as well as Scott Parker – a number that lags behind the continent's other major leagues regarding homegrown managers.

Sixteen of the 20 top-flight managers in Serie A are Italian, Eleven of the 20 are Spanish, 12 of the 18 are German while 10 of the 18 in France.

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

"It is truly motivating to young English coaches in the system to see an individual get that job with his background and everyone hopes he does highly successful."

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

Leroy Rosenior, Rosenior Sr., played for the likes of West London clubs, West Ham as well as Queens Park Rangers, and his coaching stint peaked with a brief spell in charge of the third-tier club Brentford in 2006.

In 2019, he was awarded an MBE in the 2019 New Year Honours for services rendered in combating inequality in football and beyond.

After Liam hung up his boots he followed a path in management. He started penning a column for The Guardian, where in 2017 he acknowledged the lack of diversity among managers. He highlighted that race does not determine ability arguing that roles should be given based on qualification.

He also made the view he would repeat: how significant lack of diversity results in misunderstandings regarding footballers from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

In a podcast with The Athletic FC, he explained how his star striker, Emmanuel Emegha, was labelled "hard to manage" or "passionate", noting that he understood the Dutch player with Nigerian parentage. Emegha is set to follow him with a move from France to Chelsea in July.

In subsequent Guardian columns, he also confessed to being "embarrassed" to hear a staff member utter a homophobic slur. He pledged support for the Rainbow Laces initiative and authored an open letter to the former US President while he was in office, condemning his "overt" prejudice.

He has subsequently made his name in the dugout – first at Hull City, later at Strasbourg – and Wayne Rooney recently stating he was "among the best coaches I've ever worked with" following their time together with Derby.

Rosenior said goodbye at Strasbourg on Tuesday morning prior to putting pen to paper on a long-term deal with the Blues.

The Blues boasted the top flight's pioneering black boss with Gullit and the first black captain named Paul Elliott.

Elliott later worked in multiple senior positions, including the FA's equality board|