A Powerful Occasion when Liam Rosenior Shatters Barriers

"Liam Rosenior is an excellent tactician that understands the game back to front, and that's the most important thing.

"However, in my role as the Blues' pioneering African heritage footballer, I would be lying if I said this appointment fails to move me."

These were the sentiments of Paul Canoville, who made his historic debut for the Blues' first team off the bench in the spring of 1982.

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

The French club is within the multi-club ownership group that also owns Chelsea.

There have been a mere twelve of African or Caribbean heritage head coaches – not including those in interim roles – in the Premier League since it began thirty-four years ago.

"What really strikes me regarding Rosenior is he grew up and developed his game not far from here, he understands this area," added Canoville.

"Whenever kids observe someone like Liam managing the team they support, a person who looks like them, from a similar background, who comes from a family that fights for what's right… that's impactful and shows them that opportunities exist.

"So yes, it is an enormous step for Chelsea, for the capital, for every 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 Does the Data Indicate?

Dutch legend Ruud Gullit became the Blues' head coach back in the nineties thereby becoming the top flight's first African heritage head coach.

A dozen years on, by 2008, Paul Ince was appointed as the pioneering black English manager in the top flight when he took over Blackburn Rovers.

West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo currently stands as the only other present Premier League gaffer of colour.

The lack of ethnic minority managers across the English game is matched by an absence of representation at executive level.

According to the BFP 2023 study, forty-three percent of top-flight footballers are from African or Caribbean heritage.

However, research by the equality organization revealed just 3.2% of board and senior leadership management teams across most Premier League clubs are from ethnically diverse backgrounds.

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

For all coaching roles – including senior roles – from those same 11 clubs, the statistic is just five percent.

"He has undoubtedly broken barriers in terms of him being announced as a Chelsea head coach, and as an organization, we hope to see more of that," said Kick It Out CEO Samuel Okafor.

"We know that there exists loads of ability present in the ethnic minority communities... they desire a chance to show what they can do. We need to continue to striving to break those obstacles once and for all."

Furthermore, the new appointee is set to become one of only four permanent English managers currently managing in the top flight – joining Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe as well as Scott Parker – a number that lags behind the continent's other major divisions regarding homegrown representation.

16 of the 20 top-flight managers in Italy are from Italy, Eleven of the 20 in Spain, 12 of the 18 are German while Ten of the 18 in France.

The present Chelsea caretaker manager Calum McFarlane said: "I have no doubt all young English managers from an academy background will be, in some way no matter who you support, rooting for Liam.

"It is really motivating to young English coaches in the system to see an individual get that job with that profile and everyone hopes he does highly successful."

'Let's not forget – he's there on merit'

His father, Leroy, Liam's father, played for the likes of West London clubs, the Hammers and Queens Park Rangers, with his managerial career peaked with a brief spell in charge of then-League One side Brentford in 2006.

In 2019, he was awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the Honours List for services rendered to tackling inequality in football and wider society.

When Rosenior Jr hung up his boots he followed his father's footsteps. He started writing a column for a national newspaper, and in one piece he acknowledged the under-representation among managers. He highlighted that ethnicity does not determine ability arguing that opportunities should be given on merit.

He further expressed the view he has often stated: how significant under-representation results in misunderstandings of players with diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

In a podcast with The Athletic FC, he explained the way his leading forward, Emmanuel Emegha, was labelled "hard to manage" and "emotional", noting that he understood the Dutch player of Nigerian descent. Emegha is set to follow him with a move from France to West London in July.

In subsequent Guardian columns, Rosenior also admitted he was "embarrassed" to hear an unnamed coach make a homophobic slur. He pledged support for the Premier League's inclusion campaign and authored a public message to the former US President while he was in office, condemning his "blatant" prejudice.

He has subsequently made his name as a manager – initially with Hull City, later at Strasbourg – and Wayne Rooney said this week he was "among the best coaches I've ever worked with" after their time together at Derby County.

The manager bid his farewells to his former club on Tuesday morning before signing a long-term deal with the Blues.

The Blues had the Premier League's pioneering black manager in Gullit and the first black captain named Paul Elliott.

Elliott has since held several senior positions, among them the FA's diversity and inclusion board|