A Historic Milestone when Liam Rosenior Overcomes Barriers

"Rosenior represents a quality tactician that understands football inside out, which is the crucial factor.

"But, as Chelsea's first black player, it would be dishonest if I said this news does not affect me."

These were the words of the former Chelsea winger, the man who earned his groundbreaking debut for Chelsea's senior side as a substitute back in April 1982.

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

Strasbourg are within the multi-club BlueCo that also owns Chelsea.

There have been just twelve of African or Caribbean heritage head coaches – excluding those holding temporary caretaker positions – in the Premier League since it began thirty-four in the past.

"What really strikes me about Liam is that he grew up and played locally, he understands this area," added Canoville.

"When kids observe someone like Liam managing the team they support, a person who looks like them, from a similar background, who comes from a household that fights for equality… that's profound and shows them the path is there.

"So yes, this represents an enormous moment for the club, for London, for every aspiring individual with big dreams.

"But right now? We must support Rosenior, give him the necessary tools, and let the man get on with the job."

What Does the Numbers Show?

The iconic Dutchman Ruud Gullit was appointed Chelsea head coach back in the nineties thereby becoming the Premier League's inaugural African heritage head coach.

Twelve years later, by 2008, Paul Ince became the first English black boss in the Premier League when he took over Blackburn Rovers.

The Hammers' boss Nuno Espirito Santo currently stands as the sole additional current top flight boss from a minority ethnic background.

The lack of managers of colour across English football is matched by an absence of representation at executive level.

According to the BFP 2023's report, forty-three percent of Premier League footballers come from black heritage.

Yet, analysis from Kick It Out revealed only 3.2% of board and senior leadership positions at 17 of 20 Premier League clubs are held by people from minority ethnic backgrounds.

At senior coaching positions, based on data provided by eleven clubs, the percentage is two percent.

For all coaching positions – including senior roles – from those same 11 clubs, the figure is five percent.

"He's certainly made history in terms of his appointment as the Chelsea head coach, and we hope to witness more such appointments," said the chief executive of Kick It Out Samuel Okafor.

"It is acknowledged there is a wealth of ability present within black and underrepresented communities... they want the opportunity to show what they can do. We need to persist in work hard to break those barriers down."

Additionally, Rosenior will become one of only four full-time British managers currently in the Premier League – alongside Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe and Scott Parker – a number that trails the continent's other big five divisions in terms of national managers.

16 of the 20 first division managers in Serie A are Italian, Eleven of the 20 in Spain, Twelve in the Bundesliga in Germany and 10 in Ligue 1 in France.

The present Chelsea caretaker manager Calum McFarlane said: "I have no doubt every aspiring British coaches with a youth development pedigree will be, to some degree regardless of allegiance, supporting Liam.

"It's really inspirational for up-and-coming British academy coaches to see someone land that job with his background and we hope he does really well."

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

His father, Leroy, Liam's father, had a career with the likes of Fulham, the Hammers as well as Queens Park Rangers, and his coaching stint peaked with a five-month stint in charge of the third-tier club Brentford FC 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 discrimination in football and beyond.

After Liam hung up his boots he followed his father's footsteps. He began penning articles for a national newspaper, where in 2017 he acknowledged the lack of diversity of black coaches. He highlighted that race does not determine ability and said roles should be given on merit.

He further expressed the view he has often stated: how vast under-representation results in a failure to understand regarding footballers with diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

During an interview with The Athletic FC, he explained how his star striker, Emmanuel Emegha, was labelled "difficult" or "passionate", noting that he understood the Dutch international of Nigerian descent. Emegha is set to join him with a move from Strasbourg to West London in July.

In further newspaper articles, Rosenior also admitted he was "embarrassed" to hear a staff member utter a discriminatory remark. He pledged his support for the Premier League's inclusion campaign and wrote a public message to Donald Trump during his first US presidency, condemning his "blatant" racism.

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

The manager bid his farewells to his former club on Tuesday morning prior to putting pen to paper on a long-term deal with the Blues.

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

Elliott later held several senior positions, including the FA's diversity and inclusion board|