An Significant Event when Rosenior Breaks Obstacles

"Rosenior represents a top tactician that knows football inside out, and that's the most important thing.

"However, as the Blues' first black player, it would be dishonest to claim this appointment does not affect me."

These were the sentiments of the former Chelsea winger, who earned his groundbreaking first appearance for Chelsea's senior side off the bench back in April 1982.

This week, Chelsea named RC Strasbourg manager Rosenior, aged 41, as their next manager following the exit of Enzo Maresca.

Strasbourg are within a multi-club BlueCo which also owns the London club.

There have been only 12 of African or Caribbean heritage managers – excluding those in temporary caretaker positions – in England's top flight since its inception thirty-four years ago.

"What really strikes me about Liam is he grew up and played locally, he understands this community," continued Canoville.

"Whenever youngsters see someone like Liam managing the team they support, a person they can identify with, who's from their ends, who comes from a family that champions equality… that's profound and shows them that opportunities exist.

"Indeed, this represents an enormous step for Chelsea, for the capital, for all young person dreaming big.

"But right now? Let's back Liam, provide him with the necessary tools, 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 and became the Premier League's first African heritage head coach.

A dozen years on, by 2008, Paul Ince became the pioneering black English boss in the Premier League when he took over Blackburn Rovers.

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

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

As per the Black Footballers Partnership 2023's report, 43% of Premier League footballers come from African or Caribbean heritage.

Yet, research from Kick It Out revealed just 3.2% of board and senior leadership management teams across most Premier League clubs are from minority ethnic backgrounds.

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

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

"He has undoubtedly made history by virtue of his appointment as the Chelsea manager, and we want to see more of that," stated Kick It Out CEO Samuel Okafor.

"We know there is a wealth of talent that exists within ethnic minority communities... they want a chance to demonstrate what they can do. It is imperative to persist in striving to break those obstacles down."

Additionally, Rosenior is set to become the fourth permanent British head coaches presently managing in the top flight – joining Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe as well as Scott Parker – a number that lags behind Europe's remaining big five leagues regarding national representation.

16 out of twenty first division coaches in Italy are Italian, 11 in La Liga are Spanish, Twelve of the 18 in Germany and 10 of the 18 in France.

Current Chelsea caretaker manager Calum McFarlane commented: "I have no doubt every aspiring British managers with a youth development pedigree are, to some degree regardless of allegiance, rooting for Liam.

"It is truly inspirational to up-and-coming British coaches in the system to see an individual land such a role with his background and we hope he does really well."

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

His father, Leroy, Rosenior Sr., played for the likes of West London clubs, the Hammers as well as Queens Park Rangers, and his managerial career peaked with a brief spell at the third-tier club Brentford in 2006.

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

When Rosenior Jr hung up his boots he pursued his father's footsteps. He started penning articles for The Guardian, where in 2017 he acknowledged the under-representation among managers. He pointed out that race does not determine coaching skill arguing that opportunities must be awarded on merit.

He also made a point he has often stated: how significant under-representation results in a failure to understand of players with diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

During an interview with The Athletic FC, he explained how his star striker, Emmanuel Emegha, was labelled "hard to manage" and "emotional", noting that he understood the Dutch international with Nigerian parentage. Emegha is set to follow him in moving from Strasbourg to West London in July.

In further Guardian columns, he also confessed he was "embarrassed" to hear an unnamed coach utter a discriminatory remark. He pledged support for the Premier League's inclusion initiative and wrote an open letter to the former US President during his first US presidency, accusing him of "blatant" prejudice.

He has subsequently made his name in the dugout – first at Hull City, then Strasbourg – with Wayne Rooney said this week he was "among the best coaches 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 six‑and‑a‑half‑year contract with the Blues.

Chelsea had 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 executive roles, including the FA's equality board|