An Emotional Event when Rosenior Overcomes Boundaries

"He is a top coach that understands the game intimately, and that's what matters most.

"However, in my role as Chelsea's first black footballer, I would be lying to claim this appointment doesn't move me."

These were the sentiments expressed by the former Chelsea winger, the man who earned his groundbreaking first appearance for the Blues' first team off the bench in April 1982.

On Tuesday, the club appointed Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior, 41, to be their new head coach after the exit of Enzo Maresca.

Strasbourg are part of the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital-owned BlueCo that also owns Chelsea.

Statistics show a mere twelve black managers – excluding those in temporary caretaker roles – in England's top flight since its inception thirty-four years ago.

"What really strikes me about Liam is he grew up and developed his game locally, he understands this community," added Canoville.

"Whenever youngsters see someone like Liam in charge of their club, a person who looks like them, from a similar background, who comes from a household that fights for equality… it is impactful and shows them the path is there.

"Indeed, this represents a huge moment for the club, for London, for all aspiring individual with big dreams.

"However, currently? Let's back Liam, give him the necessary tools, and allow him to do his work."

What Does the Statistics Reveal?

Dutch legend Ruud Gullit was appointed Chelsea manager back in the nineties and became the top flight's first black head coach.

Twelve years later, in 2008, Paul Ince was appointed as the pioneering black English boss in the Premier League when he took over Blackburn Rovers.

The Hammers' manager Nuno Espirito Santo currently stands as the sole additional current top flight boss of colour.

The scarcity of managers of colour across English football corresponds with an absence of representation at executive level.

As per the BFP 2023 study, 43% of top-flight footballers are from black backgrounds.

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

At senior coaching positions, based on figures provided by eleven clubs, the percentage is two percent.

Across all coaching roles – including head coaches – from those same 11 clubs, the statistic is just 5%.

"He has undoubtedly broken barriers in terms of him being announced as the Chelsea manager, and we want to witness more such appointments," said the chief executive of Kick It Out Samuel Okafor.

"We know there is a wealth of ability present within black and underrepresented groups... they desire a chance to demonstrate what they can do. We need to persist in work hard to break those obstacles down."

Additionally, the new appointee is set to become one of only four full-time English head coaches presently managing in the top flight – alongside Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe as well as Scott Parker – which trails Europe's other big five leagues in terms of national managers.

Sixteen of the 20 top-flight managers in Italy are Italian, 11 in La Liga in Spain, Twelve of the 18 are German while Ten in Ligue 1 in France.

Current Blues interim boss Calum McFarlane said: "I'm sure all young English managers from an academy background are, to some degree regardless of allegiance, supporting Liam.

"It is truly inspirational to young English academy coaches to see someone get such a role with that profile and we hope he will be really well."

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

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

In 2019, he was awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire in that year's Honours List for his services in combating discrimination in football and wider society.

After Liam retired from playing he pursued a path in management. He began writing articles for The Guardian, where in 2017 he addressed the lack of diversity among managers. He pointed out that race does not influence ability and said opportunities should be given on merit.

He also made a point he would repeat: that significant lack of diversity leads to a failure to understand regarding footballers with diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

In a podcast for a football podcast, Rosenior highlighted how his star striker, Emmanuel Emegha, had been described as "hard to manage" or "emotional", but said he could relate to the Dutch international with Nigerian parentage. The striker is expected to join him in moving from Strasbourg to West London in July.

In further newspaper articles, Rosenior also admitted to being "embarrassed" upon hearing a staff member utter a homophobic slur. He pledged his support for the inclusion campaign and wrote a public message to the former US President during his first US presidency, accusing him of "overt" racism.

He has subsequently made his name as a manager – first at Hull City, then Strasbourg – and Wayne Rooney recently stating Rosenior was "as good a coach as I've ever worked with" following their time together with Derby.

The manager bid goodbye at Strasbourg on Tuesday morning prior to putting pen to paper on a six‑and‑a‑half‑year contract with the Blues.

The Blues boasted the Premier League's pioneering black boss with Gullit and the first black skipper in Paul Elliott.

Elliott has since worked in multiple senior positions, among them the Football Association's equality board|