An Emotional Occasion as Rosenior Breaks Barriers

"He is a top coach who knows the game intimately, and that's what matters most.

"But, in my role as the Blues' pioneering African heritage player, I would be lying if I said this moment does not affect me."

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

On Tuesday, Chelsea hired RC Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior, 41, as their next manager after the exit of manager Enzo Maresca.

The French club is part of the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital-owned BlueCo which also controls Chelsea.

There have been just 12 of African or Caribbean heritage managers – excluding those in interim roles – in the Premier League since its inception 34 years ago.

"What really strikes me regarding Rosenior is that he was raised and played locally, he understands the local fans," continued Canoville.

"When children see a figure like Rosenior in charge of the team they support, a person who looks like them, from a similar background, from a household that fights for equality… it is powerful and shows them the path is there.

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

"However, currently? We must support Rosenior, give him what he needs, and let the man get on with the job."

What Exactly Does the Statistics Reveal?

Dutch legend Ruud Gullit became Chelsea head coach in 1996 and became the top flight's inaugural African heritage manager.

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

West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo is the only other present Premier League gaffer of colour.

The shortage of managers of colour across the English game corresponds with a lack of representation at executive level.

According to the BFP 2023 report, 43% of Premier League footballers come from African or Caribbean heritage.

Yet, research by the equality organization revealed just 3.2% of board and senior leadership positions across most Premier League clubs are from ethnically diverse backgrounds.

Regarding first-team coaching level, based on data provided by 11 clubs, the figure stands at two percent.

Across all coaching positions – including head coaches – from those same eleven clubs, the figure is 5%.

"He has undoubtedly broken barriers by virtue of him being announced as a Chelsea head coach, and as an organization, we want to see more of that," stated Kick It Out CEO Samuel Okafor.

"It is acknowledged there is loads of ability that exists in the ethnic minority groups... they want the opportunity to demonstrate what they can do. It is imperative to continue to work hard to dismantle those barriers down."

Furthermore, the new appointee will become one of only four permanent British managers currently managing in the top flight – joining Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe and Scott Parker – which lags behind Europe's remaining big five divisions regarding homegrown managers.

16 of the 20 top-flight coaches in Italy are Italian, Eleven in La Liga in Spain, Twelve of the 18 in Germany and Ten in Ligue 1 are French.

Current Chelsea interim boss Calum McFarlane said: "I have no doubt all young English managers with a youth development pedigree are, to some degree no matter who you support, supporting Liam.

"It is really inspirational for up-and-coming British academy coaches to witness someone land such a role with his background and everyone hopes he will be really well."

'Let's not forget – his appointment is on merit'

Leroy Rosenior, Rosenior Sr., played for the likes of Fulham, West Ham and Queens Park Rangers, with his coaching stint peaked with a five-month spell at then-League One side Brentford FC in 2006.

In 2019, he received an MBE in the 2019 New Year Honours for services rendered in combating discrimination in football and wider society.

After Liam retired from playing he pursued a path in management. He started writing articles for The Guardian, where in 2017 he addressed the under-representation of black coaches. He pointed out that ethnicity does not determine coaching skill and said opportunities should be given based on qualification.

He further expressed a point he would repeat: that vast under-representation leads to misunderstandings of players with diverse ethnic and cultural heritage.

During an interview for a football podcast, Rosenior highlighted the way his star striker, Emmanuel Emegha, was labelled "hard to manage" and "emotional", but said he could relate to the Dutch international with Nigerian parentage. Emegha is set to follow him in moving from France to West London in July.

In subsequent Guardian columns, he also confessed to being "embarrassed" to hear a coach utter a discriminatory remark. He pledged his support for the Premier League's Rainbow Laces campaign and wrote a public message to the former US President while he was in office, condemning his "overt" prejudice.

He has subsequently built his reputation in the dugout – initially with Hull City, then Strasbourg – and Wayne Rooney recently stating he was "among the best coaches I've ever worked with" after their collaboration with Derby.

Rosenior said his farewells at Strasbourg earlier this week prior to putting pen to paper on a long-term deal with the Blues.

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

Elliott later worked in multiple executive roles, including the FA's diversity and inclusion board|