A Historic Event as Liam Rosenior Breaks Barriers

"Liam Rosenior is an excellent manager that knows the game inside out, and that's the most important thing.

"However, as the Blues' first African heritage player, I would be lying to claim this moment does not affect me."

Those are the sentiments of Paul Canoville, the man who made his historic debut for the Blues' first team off the bench back in the spring of 1982.

This week, Chelsea named Strasbourg boss Liam Rosenior, aged 41, to be their next manager after the exit of manager Enzo Maresca.

Strasbourg are part of the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital-owned ownership group which also owns Chelsea.

Statistics show only 12 of African or Caribbean heritage head coaches – excluding those holding temporary caretaker roles – in England's top flight since it began thirty-four years ago.

"What really strikes me regarding Rosenior is that he grew up and played not far from here, he knows the local fans," added Canoville.

"When youngsters observe someone like Liam managing their club, someone who looks like them, from a similar background, who comes from a family that champions what's right… that's impactful and shows them the path is there.

"So yes, it is a huge step for the club, for London, for every aspiring individual dreaming big.

"However, currently? Let's back Liam, give him the necessary tools, and allow him to get on with the job."

What Do the Statistics Indicate?

The iconic Dutchman Ruud Gullit became the Blues' head coach back in the nineties and became the Premier League's inaugural black manager.

A dozen years on, by 2008, Paul Ince was appointed as the pioneering English black manager in the top flight after taking charge at Blackburn Rovers.

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

The shortage of managers of colour throughout English football is matched by a lack of representation at executive level.

According to the Black Footballers Partnership 2023 report, forty-three percent of top-flight footballers come from African or Caribbean heritage.

However, research by Kick It Out found only 3.2% of executive and leadership management teams at most Premier League clubs are from minority ethnic communities.

Regarding first-team coaching level, based on data provided by eleven clubs, the figure is 2%.

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

"He's certainly broken barriers by virtue of his appointment as the Chelsea manager, and we hope to see more of that," stated Kick It Out CEO Samuel Okafor.

"We know there is loads of ability present within ethnic minority groups... aspiring coaches desire the opportunity to show their capabilities. It is imperative to continue to work hard to dismantle those barriers once and for all."

Additionally, the new appointee is set to become the fourth permanent English head coaches currently in the Premier League – joining Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe and Scott Parker – a number that trails Europe's remaining big five divisions regarding national managers.

16 of the 20 top-flight managers in Serie A are from Italy, Eleven in La Liga are Spanish, 12 in the Bundesliga are German and 10 of the 18 in France.

The present Blues caretaker manager Calum McFarlane commented: "I have no doubt all aspiring British coaches from an academy background will be, in some way regardless of allegiance, rooting for Liam.

"It is truly inspirational to young English academy coaches to see an individual land such a role with that profile and we hope he does really well."

'Let's not forget – his appointment is due to ability'

His father, Leroy, Liam's father, had a career with clubs such as Fulham, the Hammers and Queens Park Rangers, with his coaching stint peaked with a five-month spell at the third-tier club Brentford FC in 2006.

Two years ago, he was awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire in that year's Honours List for services rendered in combating discrimination within the sport and beyond.

When Rosenior Jr retired from playing he followed a path in management. He began 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 must be awarded based on qualification.

He also made a point he would repeat: that vast under-representation results in misunderstandings of players from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

During an interview with The Athletic FC, Rosenior highlighted the way his leading forward, Emmanuel Emegha, was labelled "difficult" and "passionate", but said he could relate to the Netherlands international of Nigerian descent. The striker is expected to follow him with a move from Strasbourg to Chelsea this summer.

In subsequent Guardian columns, Rosenior also admitted to being "embarrassed" upon hearing a coach make a discriminatory remark. He pledged support for the Rainbow Laces initiative and wrote a public message to the former US President while he was in office, condemning his "overt" prejudice.

He has subsequently made his name as a manager – initially with Hull City, later at Strasbourg – with Wayne Rooney said this week Rosenior was "among the best coaches I've ever worked with" after their time together at Derby County.

Rosenior said his farewells to his former club earlier this week prior to putting pen to paper on a long-term deal with the Blues.

Chelsea boasted the top flight's pioneering black boss with Gullit as well as the first black captain named Paul Elliott.

Elliott later worked in several executive roles, including the Football Association's equality board|