A Emotional Occasion when Liam Rosenior Overcomes Obstacles

"Liam Rosenior is a quality tactician who knows the game inside out, and that's the most important thing.

"But, as the Blues' first black footballer, I would be lying to claim this news fails to move me."

Those are the words expressed by the former Chelsea winger, the man who earned his historic debut for Chelsea's senior side as a substitute in April 1982.

On Tuesday, the club named Strasbourg boss Liam Rosenior, 41, to be their new head coach following the departure of manager Enzo Maresca.

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

Statistics show a mere twelve of African or Caribbean heritage managers – excluding those holding interim roles – in the Premier League since its inception 34 in the past.

"What really strikes me about Liam is that he was raised and developed his game locally, he understands this area," added Canoville.

"Whenever youngsters see someone like Liam in charge of their club, a person who looks like them, who's from their ends, who comes from a family that champions what's right… that's impactful and shows them that opportunities exist.

"So yes, it is a huge step for Chelsea, for the capital, for every young person with big dreams.

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

What Do the Numbers Show?

Dutch legend Ruud Gullit was appointed the Blues' head coach in 1996 and became the top flight's first black manager.

Twelve years later, in 2008, Paul Ince became the pioneering English black boss in the Premier League when he took over Blackburn Rovers.

The Hammers' boss Nuno Espirito Santo is the only other present Premier League boss of colour.

The shortage of managers of colour throughout the English game is matched by an absence of diversity in the boardroom.

According to the Black Footballers Partnership 2023 study, forty-three percent of top-flight players come from black backgrounds.

Yet, 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 ethnically diverse backgrounds.

At first-team coaching positions, according to data from 11 clubs, the figure stands at 2%.

For all coaching roles – encompassing head coaches – from the same 11 clubs, the figure is 5%.

"He's certainly made history by virtue of his appointment as Chelsea head coach, and we want to witness more such appointments," said the chief executive of Kick It Out Samuel Okafor.

"It is acknowledged there is loads of ability that exists within black and underrepresented groups... they desire the opportunity to show their capabilities. It is imperative to persist in striving to break those barriers down."

Additionally, Rosenior is set to become one of only four permanent British head coaches presently managing in the top flight – alongside Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe and Scott Parker – a number that trails the continent's other major leagues regarding national managers.

Sixteen of the 20 first division managers in Serie A are from Italy, Eleven in La Liga are Spanish, Twelve in the Bundesliga are German while 10 of the 18 are French.

The present Chelsea interim boss Calum McFarlane said: "I'm sure every young English coaches with a youth development pedigree are, in some way regardless of allegiance, supporting Liam.

"It is truly motivating for young English coaches in the system to witness an individual land that job with his background and everyone hopes he does highly successful."

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

Leroy Rosenior, Rosenior Sr., had a career with clubs such as West London clubs, West Ham as well as Queens Park Rangers, and his managerial career peaked with a five-month spell at the third-tier club Brentford back in 2006.

In 2019, he received an MBE in that year's Honours List for services rendered in combating inequality within the sport and beyond.

When Rosenior Jr retired from playing he followed his father's footsteps. He began penning articles for The Guardian, where in 2017 he acknowledged the lack of diversity of black coaches. He highlighted that ethnicity does not influence ability and said opportunities should be given based on qualification.

He further expressed a point he would repeat: how significant under-representation results in a failure to understand regarding footballers with diverse ethnic and cultural heritage.

During an interview for a football podcast, Rosenior highlighted how his leading forward, Emmanuel Emegha, had been described as "difficult" or "passionate", but said he understood the Netherlands international of Nigerian descent. Emegha is set to follow him in moving from Strasbourg to West London in July.

In subsequent newspaper articles, Rosenior also admitted he was "ashamed" to hear an unnamed staff member make a homophobic slur. He vowed support for the inclusion campaign and authored an open letter to Donald Trump while he was in office, condemning his "overt" prejudice.

Rosenior has since built his reputation as a manager – first at Hull City, later at Strasbourg – with Wayne Rooney said this week Rosenior was "as good a coach as I've ever worked with" following their time together with Derby.

Rosenior said his farewells to his former club earlier this week before signing a long-term deal at Chelsea.

The Blues had the Premier League's first black boss with Gullit and the first black skipper named Paul Elliott.

Elliott later worked in multiple executive roles, among them the Football Association's equality board|