An Powerful Event when Rosenior Breaks Barriers

"He is a top coach who understands the game inside out, which is the most important thing.

"But, as Chelsea's pioneering black player, I would be lying if I said this appointment fails to move me."

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

On Tuesday, Chelsea named Strasbourg boss Rosenior, 41, as their next head coach after the exit of manager Enzo Maresca.

The French club is part of the multi-club ownership group that also controls the London club.

There have been just twelve of African or Caribbean heritage head coaches – not including individuals in temporary caretaker roles – in the Premier League since its inception thirty-four in the past.

"One thing that impresses me about Liam is that he grew up and developed his game locally, he knows this community," added Canoville.

"Whenever kids see a figure like Rosenior managing the team they support, someone who looks like them, who's from their ends, from a household that champions equality… it is profound and shows them the path is there.

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

"But right now? Let's back Liam, give him the necessary tools, and let the man get on with the job."

What Does the Numbers Reveal?

The iconic Dutchman Ruud Gullit was appointed the Blues' manager in 1996 and became the top flight's inaugural black head coach.

A dozen years on, in 2008, Paul Ince became the first English black boss in the Premier League after taking charge at Blackburn Rovers.

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

The shortage of ethnic minority managers across the English game is matched by a lack of representation in the boardroom.

As per the BFP 2023 report, 43% of Premier League players are from African or Caribbean heritage.

However, analysis by the equality organization found only 3.2 percent of board and senior leadership management teams across 17 of 20 Premier League clubs are from minority ethnic backgrounds.

At first-team coaching positions, according to figures provided by 11 clubs, the percentage is 2%.

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

"He has undoubtedly broken barriers in terms of him being announced as the 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 there is loads of ability that exists within black and underrepresented groups... they want the opportunity to show their capabilities. It is imperative to persist in striving to break those barriers once and for all."

Furthermore, Rosenior will become the fourth full-time English head coaches currently managing in the top flight – alongside Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe and Scott Parker – which lags behind the continent's other major leagues regarding homegrown representation.

Sixteen of the 20 top-flight managers in Italy are Italian, Eleven of the 20 are Spanish, Twelve in the Bundesliga are German while 10 of the 18 in France.

The present Blues interim boss Calum McFarlane commented: "I'm sure all aspiring British managers with a youth development pedigree are, in some way regardless of allegiance, rooting for Liam.

"It's really inspirational to young English academy coaches to witness an individual get such a role with that profile and everyone hopes he will be really well."

It is vital to remember – he's there based on talent'

His father, Leroy, Rosenior Sr., had a career with the likes of Fulham, West Ham and Queens Park Rangers, and his managerial career peaked with a five-month spell at the third-tier club Brentford FC back in 2006.

In 2019, he was awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the Honours List for his services to tackling discrimination within the sport and wider society.

After Liam retired from playing he pursued a path in management. He began penning a column for a national newspaper, and in one piece he acknowledged the under-representation of black coaches. He pointed out that race does not influence coaching skill arguing that roles must be awarded on merit.

He also made the view he would repeat: that significant under-representation results in misunderstandings of players with diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

During an interview with The Athletic FC, Rosenior highlighted how his leading forward, Emmanuel Emegha, was labelled "difficult" or "passionate", noting that he understood the Dutch international with Nigerian parentage. The striker is expected to join him in moving from Strasbourg to West London this summer.

In subsequent newspaper articles, he also confessed to being "embarrassed" to hear a coach utter a homophobic slur. He vowed his support for the Premier League's Rainbow Laces campaign and authored a public message 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 recently stating he was "among the best coaches I've ever worked with" after their time together at Derby County.

Rosenior said his farewells at Strasbourg earlier this week before signing a long-term contract with the Blues.

Chelsea boasted the top flight's pioneering black boss in Gullit and the first black captain named Paul Elliott.

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