An Moving Event when Rosenior Shatters Obstacles

"He is an excellent coach who understands the game intimately, which is what matters most.

"However, in my role as the Blues' first black footballer, it would be dishonest if I said this appointment does not affect me."

These were the sentiments of the former Chelsea winger, the man who earned his historic first appearance for the Blues' first team as a substitute in the spring of 1982.

This week, Chelsea appointed Strasbourg boss Rosenior, 41, as their new manager after the departure of Enzo Maresca.

Strasbourg are within the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital-owned BlueCo which also controls Chelsea.

There have been just twelve black managers – excluding individuals holding temporary caretaker positions – in the Premier League since it began thirty-four years ago.

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

"When kids observe a figure like Rosenior managing the team they support, someone they can identify with, from a similar background, who comes from a family that fights for equality… that's profound demonstrating that opportunities exist.

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

"However, currently? Let's back Liam, give him what he needs, and allow him to do his work."

What Exactly Does the Data Show?

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

Twelve years later, by 2008, Paul Ince was appointed as the first English black boss in the Premier League when he took over Blackburn Rovers.

West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo currently stands as the only other current Premier League gaffer from a minority ethnic background.

The shortage of managers of colour across the English game corresponds with an absence of diversity at executive level.

As per a BFP 2023 report, forty-three percent of Premier League players are from black backgrounds.

However, analysis by Kick It Out revealed just 3.2% of executive and leadership management teams at 17 of 20 Premier League clubs are from ethnically diverse backgrounds.

Regarding senior coaching positions, based on figures from 11 clubs, the figure stands at two percent.

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

"He has undoubtedly made history by virtue of his appointment as Chelsea head coach, and we want to see more of that," stated the chief executive of Kick It Out Samuel Okafor.

"We know that there exists loads of ability present within ethnic minority communities... aspiring coaches desire a chance to show what they can do. We need to continue to striving to dismantle those barriers down."

Additionally, the new appointee is set to become the fourth full-time English managers currently in the Premier League – alongside Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe as well as Scott Parker – which trails the continent's other major divisions regarding homegrown managers.

16 out of twenty first division coaches in Serie A are from Italy, Eleven in La Liga are Spanish, Twelve in the Bundesliga are German while Ten of the 18 in France.

Current Chelsea caretaker manager Calum McFarlane commented: "I'm sure all young English coaches with a youth development pedigree will be, to some degree no matter who you support, rooting for Liam.

"It's really motivating to up-and-coming British coaches in the system to see an individual get such a role with that profile and everyone hopes he does really well."

'Let's not forget – he's there based on talent'

Leroy Rosenior, Liam's father, played for the likes of West London clubs, West Ham as well as Queens Park Rangers, with his coaching stint culminating in a brief stint at then-League One side Brentford in 2006.

Two years ago, he received an MBE in that year's 2019 New Year Honours for services rendered in combating discrimination within the sport and beyond.

After Liam retired from playing he pursued his father's footsteps. He began writing articles for a national newspaper, where in 2017 he addressed the lack of diversity among managers. He pointed out that ethnicity does not influence ability arguing that opportunities should be given based on qualification.

He further expressed a point he has often stated: how significant lack of diversity leads to a failure to understand of players with diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

During an interview for a football podcast, Rosenior highlighted the way his leading forward, Emmanuel Emegha, had been described as "difficult" and "passionate", but said he understood the Netherlands player of Nigerian descent. Emegha is set to follow him with a move from Strasbourg to West London this summer.

In subsequent Guardian columns, he also confessed he was "ashamed" upon hearing an unnamed coach utter a homophobic slur. He vowed support for the Premier League's Rainbow Laces campaign and authored an open letter to the former US President while he was in office, condemning his "blatant" racism.

Rosenior has since made his name in the dugout – first at Hull City, then Strasbourg – with Wayne Rooney recently stating Rosenior was "among the best coaches I've ever worked with" following their collaboration with Derby.

Rosenior said goodbye to his former club earlier this week prior to putting pen to paper on a six‑and‑a‑half‑year deal with the Blues.

Chelsea had the Premier League's pioneering African heritage manager in Gullit as well as the first black captain in Paul Elliott.

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