An Moving Occasion when Liam Rosenior Breaks Boundaries

"Liam Rosenior is a quality tactician who understands the game back to front, which is the most important thing.

"But, in my role as Chelsea's first African heritage footballer, I would be lying to claim this news does not affect me."

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

This week, the club appointed RC Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior, aged 41, as their new head coach after the departure of Enzo Maresca.

Strasbourg are within the multi-club ownership group that also controls Chelsea.

There have been just 12 black head coaches – excluding those in temporary caretaker positions – in England's top flight since its inception 34 years ago.

"One thing that impresses me about Liam is that he grew up and developed his game not far from here, he knows this area," added Canoville.

"When kids see a figure like Rosenior managing their club, a person who looks like them, who's from their ends, who comes from a family that champions equality… it is impactful and shows them that opportunities exist.

"Indeed, it is a massive moment for the club, for London, for all young person with big dreams.

"However, currently? We must support Rosenior, give him the necessary tools, and allow him to get on with the job."

What Exactly Do the Data Indicate?

The iconic Dutchman Ruud Gullit became Chelsea manager back in the nineties thereby becoming the Premier League's first African heritage head coach.

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

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

The lack of managers of colour across English football is matched by an absence of diversity in the boardroom.

According to a Black Footballers Partnership 2023's study, forty-three percent of Premier League footballers are from African or Caribbean heritage.

However, research from Kick It Out found only 3.2% of board and senior leadership management teams at 17 of 20 Premier League clubs are held by people from minority ethnic backgrounds.

At first-team coaching level, based on figures provided by eleven clubs, the figure is two percent.

Across all coaching roles – encompassing senior roles – from the same eleven clubs, the figure is just five percent.

"He's certainly made history in terms of his appointment as the Chelsea manager, and as an organization, we want to witness more such appointments," said Kick It Out CEO Samuel Okafor.

"It is acknowledged there is loads of talent that exists in the ethnic minority communities... aspiring coaches desire a chance to demonstrate their capabilities. We need to continue to work hard to break those barriers down."

Furthermore, Rosenior is set to become the fourth permanent British managers presently managing in the top flight – alongside Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe as well as Scott Parker – which lags behind the continent's remaining big five leagues in terms of national representation.

Sixteen of the 20 top-flight coaches in Serie A are Italian, Eleven in La Liga are Spanish, Twelve in the Bundesliga are German while 10 of the 18 are French.

The present Chelsea caretaker manager Calum McFarlane said: "I have no doubt all young English coaches with a youth development pedigree will be, in some way regardless of allegiance, supporting Liam.

"It is really inspirational for up-and-coming British academy coaches to witness someone land such a role with that profile and everyone hopes he will be highly successful."

It is vital to remember – his appointment is due to ability'

Leroy Rosenior, Liam's father, played for the likes of Fulham, the Hammers as well as Queens Park Rangers, with his managerial career peaked with a brief stint in charge of then-League One side Brentford back in 2006.

Two years ago, he received an MBE in that year's Honours List for services rendered to tackling discrimination in football and beyond.

After Liam hung up his boots he followed his father's footsteps. He began writing a column for The Guardian, and in one piece he acknowledged the under-representation among managers. He highlighted that race does not influence coaching skill arguing that roles should be given on merit.

He further expressed the view he would repeat: that vast under-representation leads to a failure to understand of players from different cultural and ethnic heritage.

In a podcast for a football podcast, Rosenior highlighted the way his leading forward, Emmanuel Emegha, was labelled "hard to manage" and "passionate", but said he could relate to the Dutch international with Nigerian parentage. Emegha is set to follow him with a move from Strasbourg to Chelsea this summer.

In further Guardian columns, he also confessed he was "embarrassed" to hear a staff member utter a homophobic slur. He vowed his support for the Premier League's inclusion campaign and authored an open letter to the former US President during his first US presidency, accusing him of "overt" racism.

Rosenior has since built his reputation as a manager – first at Hull City, then Strasbourg – and Wayne Rooney said this week he was "among the best coaches I've ever worked with" following their time together at Derby County.

Rosenior said his farewells at Strasbourg on Tuesday morning before signing a long-term deal with the Blues.

Chelsea boasted the Premier League's first black manager in Gullit as well as the first black skipper in Paul Elliott.

Elliott has since worked in several senior positions, including the FA's diversity and inclusion board|