A Moving Occasion as Liam Rosenior Breaks Obstacles

"Rosenior represents a top coach who knows football intimately, and that's the crucial factor.

"However, in my role as Chelsea's pioneering black footballer, it would be dishonest if I said this news doesn't move me."

Those are the words expressed by the former Chelsea winger, who made his groundbreaking debut for the Blues' first team as a substitute back in the spring of 1982.

This week, Chelsea appointed Strasbourg boss Rosenior, 41, to be their new head coach after the exit of manager Enzo Maresca.

The French club is within the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital-owned ownership group which also controls the London club.

There have been only 12 black head coaches – excluding individuals holding interim positions – in the Premier League since it began 34 in the past.

"What really strikes me regarding Rosenior is that he grew up and played locally, he knows this area," continued Canoville.

"When kids see a figure like Rosenior in charge of their club, a person they can identify with, who's from their ends, from a family that champions what's right… that's impactful and shows them that opportunities exist.

"So yes, it is an enormous moment for the club, for London, for every aspiring individual with big dreams.

"But right now? We must support Rosenior, provide him with what he needs, and let the man get on with the job."

What Do the Statistics Show?

The iconic Dutchman Ruud Gullit was appointed the Blues' head coach back in the nineties thereby becoming the top flight's first black manager.

A dozen years on, by 2008, Paul Ince became the pioneering English black boss in the top flight when he took over Blackburn Rovers.

West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo is the only other present top flight boss of colour.

The shortage of managers of colour across English football is matched by a lack of diversity at executive level.

As per a Black Footballers Partnership 2023's report, 43% of Premier League footballers are from African or Caribbean backgrounds.

Yet, analysis from Kick It Out revealed only 3.2 percent of executive and leadership management teams across 17 of 20 Premier League clubs are from minority ethnic communities.

At senior coaching positions, based on figures provided by eleven clubs, the figure is two percent.

Across all coaching positions – encompassing head coaches – from those same 11 clubs, the statistic is just 5%.

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

"It is acknowledged there is a wealth of talent present within black and underrepresented communities... aspiring coaches desire the opportunity to show what they can do. It is imperative to continue to work hard to dismantle those barriers once and for all."

Additionally, Rosenior will become one of only four permanent English head coaches currently in the Premier League – joining Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe and Scott Parker – which trails Europe's remaining major divisions in terms of homegrown managers.

16 of the 20 top-flight managers in Serie A are from Italy, Eleven of the 20 in Spain, Twelve in the Bundesliga are German while Ten in Ligue 1 in France.

The present Chelsea interim boss Calum McFarlane commented: "I have no doubt all young English managers from an academy background will be, to some degree no matter who you support, supporting Liam.

"It is truly inspirational for up-and-coming British coaches in the system to see an individual land such a role with that profile and everyone hopes he does highly successful."

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

Leroy Rosenior, Rosenior Sr., had a career with the likes of Fulham, West Ham as well as Queens Park Rangers, and his managerial career culminating in a brief spell in charge of then-League One side Brentford FC back in 2006.

In 2019, he received an MBE in the 2019 New Year Honours for his services to tackling discrimination in football and beyond.

After Liam retired from playing he followed a path in management. He started penning articles for The Guardian, and in one piece he addressed the under-representation among managers. He pointed out that ethnicity does not influence coaching skill and said opportunities must be awarded on merit.

He also made a point he would repeat: how vast lack of diversity results in a failure to understand of players with diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

During an interview with The Athletic FC, he explained how his leading forward, Emmanuel Emegha, was labelled "hard to manage" and "passionate", noting that he understood the Dutch international with Nigerian parentage. Emegha is set to follow him with a move from France to Chelsea in July.

In further Guardian columns, he also confessed he was "ashamed" upon hearing a coach make a homophobic slur. He pledged his support for the Rainbow Laces campaign and authored an open letter to the former US President while he was in office, accusing him of "overt" prejudice.

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

The manager bid goodbye to his former club earlier this week before signing a long-term deal at Chelsea.

Chelsea had the top flight's first black boss in Gullit and the first black skipper named Paul Elliott.

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