An Moving Moment as Liam Rosenior Overcomes Obstacles

"Liam Rosenior is a top coach that knows football inside out, and that's the most important thing.

"However, as the Blues' first black footballer, it would be dishonest if I said this news fails to move me."

These were the words of the former Chelsea winger, who made his groundbreaking first appearance for Chelsea's senior side off the bench back in April 1982.

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

The French club is within a Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital-owned BlueCo which also owns Chelsea.

There have been just 12 black managers – excluding individuals holding interim positions – in the Premier League since its inception thirty-four years ago.

"One thing that impresses me about Liam is he grew up and played not far from here, he understands this area," added Canoville.

"Whenever children observe someone like Liam in charge of their club, someone who looks like them, who's from their ends, from a household that fights for what's right… that's impactful demonstrating that opportunities exist.

"Indeed, it is a massive step for Chelsea, for London, for all aspiring individual with big dreams.

"However, currently? We must support Rosenior, provide him with the necessary tools, and let the man get on with the job."

What Does the Numbers Reveal?

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

Twelve years later, by 2008, Paul Ince became the first black English boss in the Premier League after taking charge at Blackburn Rovers.

West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo is the sole additional present top flight gaffer from a minority ethnic background.

The scarcity of ethnic minority managers across the English game corresponds with a lack of representation in the boardroom.

According to a BFP 2023's report, 43% of top-flight footballers are from African or Caribbean heritage.

However, research by Kick It Out found just 3.2% of board and senior leadership management teams at 17 of 20 Premier League clubs are from minority ethnic backgrounds.

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

For all coaching positions – encompassing head coaches – from the same 11 clubs, the figure is just 5%.

"He's certainly broken barriers by virtue of him being announced as a Chelsea head coach, and as an organization, we want to witness more such appointments," said Kick It Out CEO Samuel Okafor.

"It is acknowledged there is a wealth of talent present in the ethnic minority communities... aspiring coaches want the opportunity to demonstrate their capabilities. We need to continue to work hard to dismantle those obstacles once and for all."

Furthermore, Rosenior will become one of only four full-time English managers currently managing in the top flight – alongside Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe as well as Scott Parker – which lags behind the continent's remaining big five divisions regarding homegrown managers.

Sixteen of the 20 top-flight coaches in Serie A are from Italy, Eleven of the 20 are Spanish, 12 of the 18 are German while Ten of the 18 are French.

Current Chelsea caretaker manager Calum McFarlane said: "I have no doubt every young English managers with a youth development pedigree will be, to some degree regardless of allegiance, rooting for Liam.

"It is really motivating for up-and-coming British coaches in the system to witness an individual land such a role with that profile and everyone hopes he does really well."

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

His father, Leroy, Liam's father, played for clubs such as West London clubs, the Hammers and Queens Park Rangers, and his coaching stint culminating in a brief spell at then-League One side Brentford in 2006.

In 2019, he received an MBE in that year's Honours List for his services in combating inequality within the sport and beyond.

After Liam hung up his boots he followed a path in management. He began writing a column for a national newspaper, where in 2017 he addressed the under-representation among managers. He pointed out that ethnicity does not influence coaching skill arguing that opportunities should be given based on qualification.

He further expressed the view he has often stated: how vast lack of diversity results in misunderstandings of players from different cultural and ethnic heritage.

During an interview for a football podcast, Rosenior highlighted how his leading forward, Emmanuel Emegha, had been described as "difficult" and "emotional", noting that he understood the Netherlands player with Nigerian parentage. The striker is expected to follow him in moving from France to West London in July.

In further newspaper articles, he also confessed to being "embarrassed" to hear a staff member utter 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.

Rosenior has since built his reputation in the dugout – first at 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 with Derby.

The manager bid goodbye at Strasbourg on Tuesday morning before signing a long-term contract at Chelsea.

Chelsea had the top flight's pioneering African heritage manager with Gullit and the first black captain in Paul Elliott.

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