An Historic Moment as Rosenior Breaks Barriers

"He is a top coach that knows the game inside out, which is what matters most.

"However, in my role as the Blues' first African heritage footballer, it would be dishonest to claim this news fails to move me."

Those are the sentiments expressed by the former Chelsea winger, who earned his historic first appearance for Chelsea's senior side as a substitute back in the spring of 1982.

On Tuesday, the club appointed RC Strasbourg manager Rosenior, aged 41, as their next head coach following the departure of Enzo Maresca.

The French club is part of the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital-owned ownership group that also owns Chelsea.

There have been only twelve of African or Caribbean heritage head coaches – excluding individuals in temporary caretaker roles – in the Premier League since it began thirty-four in the past.

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

"Whenever children see someone like Liam in charge of their club, someone who looks like them, who's from their ends, who comes from a family that fights for what's right… that's impactful and shows them that opportunities exist.

"Indeed, it is a huge step for the club, for London, for every aspiring individual with big dreams.

"But right now? We must support Rosenior, give him what he needs, and allow him to do his work."

What Do the Numbers Indicate?

The iconic Dutchman Ruud Gullit became the Blues' head coach in 1996 and became the top flight's inaugural African heritage head coach.

Twelve years later, by 2008, Paul Ince was appointed as the first English black manager in the Premier League after taking charge at Blackburn Rovers.

The Hammers' manager Nuno Espirito Santo is the only other present Premier League boss from a minority ethnic background.

The scarcity of ethnic minority managers across English football corresponds with an absence of representation in the boardroom.

As per the BFP 2023's study, 43% of top-flight footballers come from black heritage.

However, analysis by Kick It Out found only 3.2 percent of executive and leadership positions across most Premier League clubs are held by people from ethnically diverse communities.

At first-team coaching level, based on figures provided by 11 clubs, the figure stands at two percent.

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

"He's certainly made history by virtue of him being announced as a the Chelsea head coach, and we hope to see more of that," stated Kick It Out CEO Samuel Okafor.

"We know there is loads of talent that exists in the black and underrepresented groups... they want the opportunity to demonstrate what they can do. It is imperative to persist in work hard to dismantle those obstacles once and for all."

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

16 out of twenty first division coaches in Italy are from Italy, Eleven in La Liga in Spain, Twelve of the 18 are German while Ten of the 18 in France.

The present Blues caretaker manager Calum McFarlane commented: "I have no doubt all young English coaches from an academy background will be, to some degree regardless of allegiance, rooting for Liam.

"It's really motivating for up-and-coming British academy coaches to witness an individual land that job with his background and we hope he will be really well."

'Let's not forget – his appointment is based on talent'

Leroy Rosenior, Rosenior Sr., had a career with clubs such as Fulham, the Hammers and Queens Park Rangers, and his coaching stint culminating in a five-month stint in charge of the third-tier club Brentford FC back in 2006.

In 2019, he was awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire in that year's 2019 New Year Honours for services rendered to tackling discrimination within the sport and beyond.

When Rosenior Jr hung up his boots he followed a path in management. He started penning a column for The Guardian, and in one piece he acknowledged the under-representation of black coaches. He pointed out that ethnicity does not influence coaching skill and said roles should be given on merit.

He further expressed the view he has often stated: how vast under-representation leads to a failure to understand of players from different ethnic and cultural heritage.

In a podcast with The Athletic FC, Rosenior highlighted the way his leading forward, Emmanuel Emegha, had been described as "difficult" and "emotional", but said he understood the Dutch player of Nigerian descent. The striker is expected to join him with a move from Strasbourg to West London this summer.

In further newspaper articles, he also confessed he was "embarrassed" upon hearing a coach utter a homophobic slur. He pledged his support for the Rainbow Laces campaign and wrote an open letter to Donald Trump while he was in office, condemning his "blatant" prejudice.

He has subsequently built his reputation in the dugout – first at Hull City, then Strasbourg – with Wayne Rooney said this week Rosenior was "as good a coach as I've ever worked with" after their time together at Derby County.

Rosenior said his farewells to his former club on Tuesday morning before signing a long-term deal at Chelsea.

Chelsea boasted the Premier League's first black boss in Gullit as well as the first black skipper named Paul Elliott.

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