A Powerful Occasion when Rosenior Breaks Boundaries

"Rosenior represents a quality manager that knows the game inside out, which is the most important thing.

"But, in my role as Chelsea's pioneering African heritage footballer, I would be lying to claim this news doesn't move me."

Those are the words of the former Chelsea winger, the man who made his groundbreaking first appearance for Chelsea's senior side off the bench back in the spring of 1982.

This week, Chelsea appointed Strasbourg manager Rosenior, aged 41, as their next manager following the departure of manager Enzo Maresca.

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

Statistics show a mere twelve black head coaches – not including individuals holding temporary caretaker roles – in the Premier League since its inception thirty-four years ago.

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

"When kids see a figure like Rosenior managing their club, someone they can identify with, who's from their ends, who comes from a family that champions equality… it is profound and shows them the path is there.

"So yes, this represents an enormous step for the club, for London, for all young person dreaming big.

"However, currently? Let's back Liam, provide him with what he needs, and allow him to do his work."

What Do the Statistics Show?

Dutch legend Ruud Gullit became Chelsea head coach back in the nineties thereby becoming the Premier League's inaugural African heritage head coach.

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

The Hammers' boss Nuno Espirito Santo currently stands as the sole additional present Premier League boss from a minority ethnic background.

The lack of ethnic minority managers throughout English football corresponds with an absence of representation in the boardroom.

According to a BFP 2023's study, forty-three percent of Premier League footballers come from black backgrounds.

Yet, research from the equality organization found just 3.2% of executive and leadership management teams at 17 of 20 Premier League clubs are from minority ethnic communities.

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

Across all coaching roles – encompassing senior roles – from those same 11 clubs, the statistic is just 5%.

"He has undoubtedly made history by virtue of his appointment as the Chelsea manager, and as an organization, we hope to see more of that," said the chief executive of Kick It Out Samuel Okafor.

"We know there is loads of ability that exists in the black and underrepresented groups... aspiring coaches desire the opportunity to demonstrate what they can do. It is imperative to persist in striving to break those obstacles once and for all."

Additionally, the new appointee is set to become the fourth full-time British head coaches presently in the Premier League – alongside Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe as well as Scott Parker – which lags behind the continent's other big five divisions regarding national representation.

16 out of twenty top-flight managers in Italy are Italian, Eleven in La Liga are Spanish, Twelve of the 18 in Germany while 10 in Ligue 1 are French.

Current Blues caretaker manager Calum McFarlane said: "I'm sure every aspiring British managers with a youth development pedigree will be, in some way no matter who you support, supporting Liam.

"It's truly motivating to young English academy coaches to witness someone land that job with his background and we hope he will be highly successful."

It is vital to remember – he's there due to ability'

His father, Leroy, Rosenior Sr., played for the likes of West London clubs, the Hammers and Queens Park Rangers, with his coaching stint culminating in a five-month spell at then-League One side Brentford FC back in 2006.

Two years ago, he received an MBE in that year's Honours List for his services to tackling discrimination within the sport and beyond.

After Liam hung up his boots he followed his father's footsteps. He started writing a column for a national newspaper, where in 2017 he acknowledged the under-representation among managers. He pointed out that ethnicity does not influence ability and said roles must be awarded on merit.

He also made a point he would repeat: that vast lack of diversity results in a failure to understand of players from different cultural and ethnic heritage.

During an interview for a football podcast, he explained the way his star striker, Emmanuel Emegha, had been described as "hard to manage" or "passionate", but said he could relate to the Netherlands player of Nigerian descent. The striker is expected to follow him with a move from Strasbourg to Chelsea in July.

In further Guardian columns, he also confessed to being "ashamed" upon hearing a staff member make a homophobic slur. He pledged his support for the Premier League's Rainbow Laces campaign and authored an open letter to Donald Trump during his first US presidency, accusing him of "blatant" prejudice.

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

Rosenior said goodbye at Strasbourg earlier this week prior to putting pen to paper on a long-term contract with the Blues.

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

Elliott has since worked in multiple executive roles, including the FA's diversity and inclusion board|