A Moving Occasion when Liam Rosenior Overcomes Obstacles

"He is a top coach that knows the game back to front, and that's the crucial factor.

"However, as Chelsea's pioneering African heritage player, I would be lying if I said this appointment doesn't move me."

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

This week, Chelsea hired Strasbourg boss Rosenior, aged 41, as their next manager after the departure of Enzo Maresca.

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

There have been a mere twelve black managers – excluding individuals in interim roles – in England's top flight since its inception thirty-four years ago.

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

"When children see someone like Liam in charge of the team they support, someone they can identify with, from a similar background, from a family that champions equality… it is impactful and shows them the path is there.

"So yes, this represents a huge step for Chelsea, for London, for every aspiring individual dreaming big.

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

What Do the Numbers Show?

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

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

West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo is the only other current top flight boss of colour.

The scarcity of ethnic minority managers across the English game corresponds with a lack of diversity at executive level.

According to the BFP 2023 study, 43% of top-flight footballers come from African or Caribbean backgrounds.

Yet, analysis by the equality organization found only 3.2% of executive and leadership positions at most Premier League clubs are from ethnically diverse communities.

Regarding first-team coaching level, according to figures from 11 clubs, the figure is 2%.

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

"He has undoubtedly broken barriers by virtue of him being announced as 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 within ethnic minority groups... they desire the opportunity to show what they can do. We need to persist in striving to break those barriers once and for all."

Furthermore, the new appointee is set to become one of only four full-time British head coaches presently in the Premier League – alongside Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe as well as Scott Parker – which lags behind Europe's remaining big five divisions in terms of homegrown representation.

Sixteen of the 20 first division managers in Italy are from Italy, Eleven of the 20 are Spanish, Twelve in the Bundesliga are German while Ten in Ligue 1 in France.

The present Blues interim boss Calum McFarlane said: "I'm sure all aspiring British coaches from an academy background will be, to some degree regardless of allegiance, supporting Liam.

"It is truly inspirational to up-and-coming British academy coaches to witness an individual get that job with his background and we hope he will be really well."

It is vital to remember – his appointment is on merit'

His father, Leroy, Liam's father, had a career with the likes of Fulham, the Hammers and Queens Park Rangers, and his managerial career peaked with a five-month spell in charge of the third-tier club Brentford FC in 2006.

Two years ago, he received a Member of the Order of the British Empire in that year's 2019 New Year Honours for his services to tackling inequality in football and beyond.

After Liam hung up his boots he followed his father's footsteps. He started writing a column for The Guardian, where in 2017 he addressed the lack of diversity of black coaches. He pointed out that race does not influence ability arguing that roles must be awarded based on qualification.

He also made a point he would repeat: how significant under-representation leads to misunderstandings regarding footballers from different ethnic and cultural heritage.

In a podcast with The Athletic FC, Rosenior highlighted how his star striker, Emmanuel Emegha, had been described as "hard to manage" and "emotional", noting that he could relate to the Netherlands international with Nigerian parentage. The striker is expected to follow him in moving from France to Chelsea in July.

In further Guardian columns, Rosenior also admitted to being "embarrassed" to hear an unnamed staff member make a homophobic slur. He vowed his support for the Premier League's Rainbow Laces initiative and wrote a public message to Donald Trump during his first US presidency, condemning his "blatant" racism.

Rosenior has since made his name in the dugout – first at Hull City, then Strasbourg – and Wayne Rooney said this week Rosenior was "as good a coach as I've ever worked with" following their time together with Derby.

Rosenior said goodbye to his former club on Tuesday morning before signing a six‑and‑a‑half‑year contract with the Blues.

The Blues had the top flight's first African heritage boss in Gullit as well as the first black skipper named Paul Elliott.

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