A Moving Milestone as Rosenior Transcends Barriers

"He is a quality manager who knows football intimately, which is the most important thing.

"But, in my role as the Blues' first African heritage player, I would be lying if I said this moment fails to move me."

These were the words expressed by the former Chelsea winger, who made his groundbreaking debut for the Blues' first team as a substitute back in April 1982.

This week, Chelsea hired RC Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior, aged 41, as their next manager following the departure of Enzo Maresca.

The French club is part of a multi-club ownership group which also owns Chelsea.

Statistics show only twelve of African or Caribbean heritage head coaches – excluding those holding temporary caretaker roles – in England's top flight since it began 34 years ago.

"What really strikes me regarding Rosenior is that he was raised and developed his game not far from here, he knows this area," added Canoville.

"When 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 household that champions what's right… that's impactful demonstrating that opportunities exist.

"Indeed, it is a huge step for Chelsea, for the capital, for every young person dreaming big.

"However, currently? We must support Rosenior, give him what he needs, and allow him to do his work."

What Exactly Do the Numbers Reveal?

Dutch legend Ruud Gullit was appointed Chelsea manager in 1996 thereby becoming the top flight's inaugural black manager.

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

West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo currently stands as the only other current top flight boss of colour.

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

As per the BFP 2023 report, forty-three percent of top-flight footballers are from black heritage.

Yet, analysis from Kick It Out revealed only 3.2% of executive and leadership management teams at most Premier League clubs are held by people from minority ethnic backgrounds.

At senior coaching level, according to data from 11 clubs, the percentage stands at two percent.

Across all coaching positions – encompassing senior roles – from those same 11 clubs, the statistic is just 5%.

"He's certainly broken barriers by virtue of his appointment as the Chelsea manager, and as an organization, we hope to witness more such appointments," said Kick It Out CEO Samuel Okafor.

"It is acknowledged that there exists loads of talent present in the ethnic minority communities... they want the opportunity to show their capabilities. It is imperative to persist in striving to break those obstacles down."

Furthermore, the new appointee will become one of only four permanent English managers presently managing in the top flight – joining Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe as well as Scott Parker – a number that trails Europe's other major leagues regarding national managers.

16 out of twenty top-flight managers in Italy are Italian, 11 of the 20 in Spain, 12 of the 18 are German while 10 in Ligue 1 are French.

Current Chelsea interim boss Calum McFarlane said: "I have no doubt every young English managers from an academy background are, in some way no matter who you support, rooting for Liam.

"It's truly inspirational for young English coaches in the system to witness an individual get such a role with that profile and we hope he will be really well."

It is vital to remember – his appointment is based on talent'

His father, Leroy, Rosenior Sr., had a career with the likes of Fulham, the Hammers and Queens Park Rangers, with his managerial career peaked with a five-month stint at then-League One side Brentford FC in 2006.

Two years ago, he received an MBE in the Honours List for services rendered in combating inequality within the sport and wider society.

When Rosenior Jr hung up his boots he followed a path in management. He started penning a column for a national newspaper, where in 2017 he addressed the lack of diversity among managers. He pointed out that ethnicity does not influence ability arguing that opportunities must be awarded on merit.

He also made a point he would repeat: how vast lack of diversity leads to a failure to understand of players with diverse ethnic and cultural heritage.

In a podcast with The Athletic FC, he explained the way his star striker, Emmanuel Emegha, was labelled "hard to manage" or "passionate", but said he could relate to the Netherlands player of Nigerian descent. Emegha is set to follow him with a move from Strasbourg to Chelsea this summer.

In subsequent newspaper articles, Rosenior also admitted to being "embarrassed" to hear an unnamed staff member utter a discriminatory remark. He vowed support for the inclusion initiative and wrote an open letter to Donald Trump while he was in office, accusing him of "overt" racism.

Rosenior has since made his name in the dugout – initially with Hull City, later at Strasbourg – and Wayne Rooney said this week Rosenior was "as good a coach as I've ever worked with" following their collaboration at Derby County.

Rosenior said goodbye at Strasbourg earlier this week prior to putting pen to paper on a long-term deal with the Blues.

Chelsea had the top flight's pioneering African heritage boss in Gullit as well as the first black captain named Paul Elliott.

Elliott later held several executive roles, among them the FA's diversity and inclusion board|