An Significant Occasion when Rosenior Breaks Obstacles

"He is a top manager that understands football back to front, which is the crucial factor.

"But, as the Blues' first black player, I would be lying to claim this moment fails to move me."

These were the sentiments expressed by the former Chelsea winger, the man who earned his historic debut for Chelsea's senior side off the bench back in April 1982.

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

The French club is within a multi-club BlueCo that also controls the London club.

Statistics show only 12 of African or Caribbean heritage head coaches – excluding those in temporary caretaker roles – in the Premier League since it began 34 years ago.

"What really strikes me regarding Rosenior is he was raised and played locally, he understands this area," added Canoville.

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

"So yes, this represents a massive moment for Chelsea, for London, for every young person dreaming big.

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

What Do the Numbers Indicate?

The iconic Dutchman Ruud Gullit was appointed the Blues' manager back in the nineties thereby becoming the top flight's inaugural black head coach.

Twelve years later, in 2008, Paul Ince became the first English black manager in the top flight when he took over Blackburn Rovers.

West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo currently stands as the only other present top flight gaffer from a minority ethnic background.

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

According to the Black Footballers Partnership 2023 study, 43% of Premier League players are from black backgrounds.

Yet, research from Kick It Out revealed only 3.2 percent of executive and leadership positions at most Premier League clubs are from ethnically diverse communities.

At senior coaching positions, according to data provided by eleven clubs, the figure is 2%.

For all coaching positions – encompassing head coaches – from the same eleven clubs, the statistic is just 5%.

"He's certainly broken barriers in terms of him being announced as Chelsea manager, and we hope to see more of that," said Kick It Out CEO Samuel Okafor.

"It is acknowledged there is loads of ability present in the black and underrepresented communities... they want a chance to show their capabilities. We need to continue to work hard to break those barriers down."

Additionally, Rosenior will become one of only four full-time English managers presently in the Premier League – alongside Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe and Scott Parker – a number that lags behind the continent's remaining big five leagues regarding national representation.

Sixteen of the 20 first division managers in Serie A are Italian, 11 in La Liga in Spain, 12 in the Bundesliga are German while Ten of the 18 are French.

The present Chelsea interim boss Calum McFarlane commented: "I'm sure every young English coaches with a youth development pedigree will be, in some way no matter who you support, rooting for Liam.

"It's really motivating for up-and-coming British academy coaches to witness someone get that job with that profile and everyone hopes he does really well."

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

Leroy Rosenior, Rosenior Sr., had a career with clubs such as Fulham, West Ham and Queens Park Rangers, with his managerial career peaked with a five-month spell in charge of then-League One side Brentford FC in 2006.

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

After Liam retired from playing he pursued his father's footsteps. He began writing a column for a national newspaper, and in one piece he acknowledged the lack of diversity among managers. He pointed out that race does not influence ability arguing that roles must be awarded on merit.

He further expressed the view he would repeat: that significant under-representation results in a failure to understand of players from different cultural and ethnic heritage.

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 could relate to the Netherlands player of Nigerian descent. The striker is expected to follow him with a move from Strasbourg to West London in July.

In further Guardian columns, he also confessed to being "ashamed" upon hearing an unnamed coach make a homophobic slur. He pledged support for the inclusion initiative and authored a public message to the former US President during his first US presidency, condemning his "overt" prejudice.

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

The manager bid his farewells to his former club earlier this week before signing a long-term deal with the Blues.

The Blues had the Premier League's first African heritage boss in Gullit and the first black captain in Paul Elliott.

Elliott later held several senior positions, among them the Football Association's equality board|