An Moving Milestone when Rosenior Shatters Boundaries

"He is an excellent coach that knows the game intimately, which is what matters most.

"But, in my role as the Blues' pioneering African heritage footballer, it would be dishonest if I said this news doesn't move me."

Those are the sentiments of the former Chelsea winger, who made his historic first appearance for the Blues' first team off the bench in the spring of 1982.

This week, the club appointed RC Strasbourg boss Liam Rosenior, aged 41, as their new manager after the exit of Enzo Maresca.

The French club is part of a multi-club BlueCo which also owns the London club.

There have been just twelve black managers – not including those holding interim roles – in England's top flight since its inception 34 years ago.

"One thing that impresses me regarding Rosenior is that he grew up and developed his game not far from here, he understands this area," continued Canoville.

"Whenever kids observe a figure like Rosenior managing the team they support, someone they can identify with, from a similar background, who comes from a family that champions what's right… it is profound demonstrating that opportunities exist.

"Indeed, it is a huge step for Chelsea, for the capital, for every young person dreaming big.

"However, currently? We must support Rosenior, provide him with the necessary tools, and allow him to do his work."

What Does the Numbers Indicate?

The iconic Dutchman Ruud Gullit became the Blues' head coach back in the nineties thereby becoming the top flight's first black head coach.

A dozen years on, in 2008, Paul Ince became the first English black boss in the Premier League after taking charge at Blackburn Rovers.

The Hammers' manager Nuno Espirito Santo is the sole additional present top flight gaffer of colour.

The lack of ethnic minority managers across the English game corresponds with an absence of representation at executive level.

According to a Black Footballers Partnership 2023 study, forty-three percent of top-flight footballers come from black backgrounds.

Yet, research by Kick It Out revealed only 3.2% of executive and leadership positions across 17 of 20 Premier League clubs are from minority ethnic backgrounds.

At first-team coaching positions, according to data from 11 clubs, the figure stands at two percent.

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

"He has undoubtedly broken barriers in terms of him being announced as a the Chelsea head coach, and we hope to see more of that," stated the chief executive of Kick It Out Samuel Okafor.

"We know there is loads of talent that exists within ethnic minority groups... they want a chance to demonstrate what they can do. It is imperative to continue to work hard to dismantle those obstacles once and for all."

Additionally, Rosenior will become one of only four permanent English managers currently managing in the top flight – joining Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe as well as Scott Parker – a number that lags behind the continent's remaining major divisions in terms of national representation.

16 out of twenty top-flight managers in Italy are from Italy, Eleven of the 20 are Spanish, Twelve in the Bundesliga in Germany while Ten of the 18 are French.

Current Chelsea interim boss Calum McFarlane said: "I have no doubt every aspiring British managers from an academy background will be, to some degree no matter who you support, supporting Liam.

"It's really motivating to up-and-coming British coaches in the system to see someone land that job with his background and everyone hopes he will be highly successful."

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

His father, Leroy, Rosenior Sr., had a career with the likes of Fulham, the Hammers and Queens Park Rangers, with his coaching stint peaked with a five-month spell at then-League One side Brentford in 2006.

In 2019, he was awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the Honours List for his services in combating inequality within the sport and beyond.

When Rosenior Jr retired from playing he pursued a path in management. He started writing articles for The Guardian, and in one piece he addressed the under-representation among managers. He highlighted that ethnicity does not influence ability and said roles should be given on merit.

He further expressed a point he has often stated: that vast under-representation leads to misunderstandings regarding footballers from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

In a podcast for a football podcast, Rosenior highlighted how his leading forward, Emmanuel Emegha, was labelled "hard to manage" or "passionate", noting that he could relate to the Dutch player of Nigerian descent. Emegha is set to follow him in moving from France to West London in July.

In further newspaper articles, he also confessed he was "embarrassed" to hear an unnamed coach make a discriminatory remark. He pledged his support for the Premier League's Rainbow Laces initiative and authored a public message to Donald Trump while he was in office, condemning his "overt" racism.

Rosenior has since made his name as a manager – initially with Hull City, then Strasbourg – and Wayne Rooney said this week he 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 before signing a long-term contract with the Blues.

Chelsea had the Premier League's first black manager with Gullit as well as the first black captain in Paul Elliott.

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