An Powerful Milestone as Rosenior Breaks Boundaries

"He is an excellent tactician that understands football back to front, which is what matters most.

"However, as the Blues' first African heritage footballer, I would be lying if I said this appointment does not affect me."

Those are the words of the former Chelsea winger, the man who earned his groundbreaking first appearance for the Blues' first team as a substitute back in April 1982.

This week, Chelsea appointed Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior, aged 41, to be their next manager following the exit of manager Enzo Maresca.

Strasbourg are part of the multi-club BlueCo that also owns the London club.

Statistics show only 12 black head coaches – excluding those in interim positions – in England's top flight since it began 34 years ago.

"One thing that impresses me regarding Rosenior is that he grew up and played locally, he knows this area," continued Canoville.

"When children see someone like Liam in charge of the team they support, a person they can identify with, who's from their ends, from a family that champions what's right… that's impactful demonstrating the path is there.

"So yes, it is an enormous step for Chelsea, for the capital, for every young person dreaming big.

"However, currently? Let's back Liam, provide him with the necessary tools, and let the man get on with the job."

What Do the Numbers Indicate?

The iconic Dutchman Ruud Gullit became the Blues' head coach back in the nineties and became the Premier League's inaugural African heritage manager.

Twelve years later, in 2008, Paul Ince became the first black English boss in the top flight after taking charge at Blackburn Rovers.

The Hammers' manager Nuno Espirito Santo is the sole additional present Premier League gaffer of colour.

The scarcity of ethnic minority managers across the English game corresponds with an absence of diversity at executive level.

As per a BFP 2023 study, forty-three percent of top-flight players are from black backgrounds.

Yet, analysis from the equality organization revealed only 3.2 percent of executive and leadership management teams at 17 of 20 Premier League clubs are from minority ethnic communities.

At first-team coaching level, based on figures provided by 11 clubs, the percentage is two percent.

Across all coaching roles – including head coaches – from those same eleven clubs, the statistic is just five percent.

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

"We know that there exists loads of ability that exists in the black and underrepresented groups... they desire the opportunity to show their capabilities. We need to persist in work hard to dismantle those obstacles down."

Additionally, the new appointee is set to become one of only four permanent English managers currently in the Premier League – alongside Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe as well as Scott Parker – a number that lags behind Europe's other major leagues regarding homegrown representation.

Sixteen out of twenty top-flight managers in Serie A are from Italy, 11 of the 20 are Spanish, 12 of the 18 are German while Ten in Ligue 1 are French.

The present Chelsea interim boss Calum McFarlane said: "I have no doubt every young English managers with a youth development pedigree will be, to some degree regardless of allegiance, rooting for Liam.

"It is really inspirational to young English coaches in the system to see someone get that job with his background and everyone hopes he will be highly successful."

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

His father, Leroy, Liam's father, had a career with the likes of West London clubs, West Ham as well as Queens Park Rangers, and his managerial career culminating in a five-month spell in charge of the third-tier club Brentford FC back in 2006.

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

When Rosenior Jr hung up his boots he followed his father's footsteps. He began writing articles for a national newspaper, where in 2017 he addressed the lack of diversity among managers. He highlighted that race does not influence ability and said roles must be awarded on merit.

He further expressed the view he has often stated: how significant under-representation results in misunderstandings regarding footballers from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

During an interview for a football podcast, Rosenior highlighted the way his star striker, Emmanuel Emegha, had been described as "difficult" or "emotional", but said he could relate to the Netherlands international with Nigerian parentage. The striker is expected to follow him in moving from France to Chelsea this summer.

In further newspaper articles, he also confessed to being "ashamed" upon hearing a coach utter a discriminatory remark. He pledged support for the Premier League's Rainbow Laces campaign and authored an open letter to the former US President while he was in office, accusing him of "blatant" prejudice.

Rosenior has since built his reputation as a manager – first at Hull City, then Strasbourg – and Wayne Rooney recently stating he was "as good a coach as I've ever worked with" following their collaboration with Derby.

The manager bid goodbye to his former club on Tuesday morning prior to putting pen to paper on a long-term contract at Chelsea.

The Blues boasted the Premier League's pioneering African heritage manager in Gullit and the first black skipper named Paul Elliott.

Elliott later worked in multiple senior positions, including the FA's diversity and inclusion board|