An Emotional Moment when Liam Rosenior Breaks Barriers

"Liam Rosenior is a top tactician that knows the game back to front, which is the most important thing.

"However, in my role as Chelsea's first African heritage player, I would be lying if I said this news doesn't move me."

These were the sentiments expressed by Paul Canoville, who earned his historic first appearance for Chelsea's senior side off the bench in April 1982.

On Tuesday, Chelsea named RC Strasbourg manager Rosenior, 41, as their next head coach after the departure of Enzo Maresca.

The French club is within the multi-club BlueCo which also owns the London club.

There have been a mere 12 black head coaches – not including those in interim positions – in the Premier League since its inception thirty-four in the past.

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

"Whenever children observe a figure like Rosenior in charge of the team they support, someone who looks like them, from a similar background, from a household that fights for equality… it is profound demonstrating the path is there.

"So yes, it is an enormous step for Chelsea, for London, for all young person with big dreams.

"But right now? We must support Rosenior, give him the necessary tools, and allow him to do his work."

What Exactly Do the Numbers Indicate?

The iconic Dutchman Ruud Gullit became Chelsea head coach back in the nineties and became the Premier League's first black head coach.

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

The scarcity of ethnic minority managers across the English game is matched by an absence of representation at executive level.

According to the Black Footballers Partnership 2023 report, 43% of Premier League footballers come from black heritage.

However, analysis by Kick It Out revealed only 3.2% of executive and leadership management teams at 17 of 20 Premier League clubs are held by people from minority ethnic communities.

At senior coaching level, according to data provided by eleven clubs, the percentage stands at 2%.

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

"He has undoubtedly made history in terms 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 that there exists a wealth of talent that exists in the black and underrepresented communities... they want a chance to demonstrate what they can do. We need to continue to striving to break those barriers down."

Furthermore, Rosenior is set to become one of only four permanent British head coaches presently in the Premier League – joining Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe and Scott Parker – a number that lags behind the continent's other big five leagues in terms of national representation.

16 out of twenty first division managers in Italy are Italian, Eleven of the 20 in Spain, Twelve in the Bundesliga are German while 10 of the 18 are French.

The present Blues caretaker manager Calum McFarlane said: "I have no doubt all aspiring British managers from an academy background are, to some degree no matter who you support, supporting Liam.

"It's truly inspirational to up-and-coming British academy coaches to see an individual land such a role with his background and everyone hopes he will be highly successful."

It is vital to remember – he's there based on talent'

Leroy Rosenior, Liam's father, had a career with the likes of West London clubs, the Hammers and Queens Park Rangers, with his managerial career peaked with a brief spell in charge of then-League One side Brentford 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 in combating inequality within the sport and wider society.

When Rosenior Jr retired from playing he pursued his father's footsteps. He started penning articles for a national newspaper, where in 2017 he addressed the under-representation of black coaches. He highlighted that ethnicity does not determine coaching skill arguing that roles should be given based on qualification.

He further expressed a point he has often stated: how vast lack of diversity leads to a failure to understand of players with diverse cultural and ethnic heritage.

During an interview for a football podcast, he explained how his star striker, Emmanuel Emegha, had been described as "hard to manage" and "emotional", but said he understood the Netherlands international of Nigerian descent. The striker is expected to join him in moving from France to West London this summer.

In further newspaper articles, he also confessed to being "embarrassed" to hear an unnamed coach make a homophobic slur. He vowed his support for the Rainbow Laces initiative and authored a public message to the former US President during his first US presidency, accusing him of "overt" racism.

He has subsequently built his reputation in the dugout – first at Hull City, later at Strasbourg – and Wayne Rooney said this week Rosenior was "among the best coaches I've ever worked with" following their time together with Derby.

Rosenior said goodbye at Strasbourg earlier this week prior to putting pen to paper on a long-term deal at Chelsea.

Chelsea boasted the Premier League's first African heritage boss with Gullit and the first black captain in Paul Elliott.

Elliott has since worked in multiple executive roles, among them the Football Association's diversity and inclusion board|