An Powerful Occasion when Rosenior Overcomes Barriers

"Liam Rosenior is a top manager that understands the game back to front, and that's the crucial factor.

"However, in my role as Chelsea's pioneering black player, I would be lying if I said this moment does not affect me."

Those are the sentiments of Paul Canoville, who earned his groundbreaking first appearance for the Blues' first team as a substitute in April 1982.

This week, the club named RC Strasbourg boss Rosenior, aged 41, as their next manager following the exit of manager Enzo Maresca.

Strasbourg are within a Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital-owned BlueCo which also owns Chelsea.

There have been only twelve black managers – excluding those holding interim roles – in the Premier League since it began 34 in the past.

"One thing that impresses me regarding Rosenior is that he grew up and developed his game locally, he knows this area," added Canoville.

"When kids observe someone like Liam in charge of the team they support, a person they can identify with, from a similar background, from a household that fights for equality… that's profound demonstrating that opportunities exist.

"So yes, this represents an enormous step for Chelsea, for London, for all aspiring individual dreaming big.

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

What Exactly Do the Data Reveal?

The iconic Dutchman Ruud Gullit was appointed Chelsea manager back in the nineties and became the top flight's inaugural black manager.

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

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

The lack of managers of colour across the English game corresponds with a lack of representation in the boardroom.

According to a BFP 2023's study, forty-three percent of Premier League players are from black heritage.

However, research by the equality organization found just 3.2% of executive and leadership management teams at most Premier League clubs are held by people from ethnically diverse communities.

Regarding senior coaching level, based on data from eleven clubs, the figure is two percent.

For all coaching positions – encompassing senior roles – from the same 11 clubs, the figure is just 5%.

"He's certainly broken barriers by virtue of his appointment as a Chelsea head coach, and we hope to see more of that," stated the chief executive of Kick It Out Samuel Okafor.

"It is acknowledged that there exists loads of ability present within ethnic minority communities... aspiring coaches desire a chance to demonstrate what they can do. We need to persist in striving to dismantle those obstacles once and for all."

Additionally, the new appointee is set to become one of only four full-time English managers currently managing in the top flight – alongside Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe as well as Scott Parker – which trails Europe's remaining big five divisions regarding national managers.

Sixteen out of twenty first division coaches in Serie A are Italian, 11 in La Liga are Spanish, 12 of the 18 in Germany while Ten of the 18 are French.

The present Blues interim boss Calum McFarlane said: "I'm sure all young English coaches from an academy background are, to some degree no matter who you support, rooting for Liam.

"It's really motivating to young English coaches in the system to witness someone get that job with his background and we hope he will be highly successful."

It is vital to remember – his appointment is on merit'

His father, Leroy, Rosenior Sr., played for the likes of West London clubs, the Hammers and Queens Park Rangers, and his coaching stint peaked with a five-month stint at the third-tier club Brentford FC in 2006.

In 2019, he was awarded an MBE in the Honours List for services rendered to tackling discrimination in football and wider society.

After Liam hung up his boots he followed his father's footsteps. He started penning a column for The Guardian, and in one piece he acknowledged the under-representation of black coaches. He pointed out that race does not influence ability and said roles should be given based on qualification.

He also made a point he would repeat: how significant under-representation leads to misunderstandings of players from different cultural and ethnic heritage.

In a podcast for a football podcast, he explained how his leading forward, Emmanuel Emegha, was labelled "hard to manage" or "passionate", noting that he understood the Dutch player with Nigerian parentage. The striker is expected to join him in moving from France to Chelsea in July.

In further Guardian columns, Rosenior also admitted to being "ashamed" to hear an unnamed staff member utter a homophobic slur. He pledged his support for the inclusion campaign and authored a public message to the former US President during his first US presidency, condemning his "blatant" prejudice.

Rosenior has since built his reputation in the dugout – initially with Hull City, then Strasbourg – and Wayne Rooney said this week he was "among the best coaches I've ever worked with" after their time together with Derby.

The manager bid his farewells at Strasbourg earlier this week prior to putting pen to paper on a long-term contract at Chelsea.

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

Elliott later held several senior positions, including the FA's diversity and inclusion board|