A Significant Milestone when Rosenior Shatters Obstacles

"He is a quality manager that knows football back to front, and that's the most important thing.

"But, in my role as the Blues' pioneering black player, I would be lying if I said this news doesn't move me."

These were the words of the former Chelsea winger, the man who earned his historic first appearance for the Blues' first team off the bench in April 1982.

On Tuesday, Chelsea hired RC Strasbourg boss Liam Rosenior, 41, to be their next head coach following the departure of Enzo Maresca.

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

Statistics show only twelve of African or Caribbean heritage managers – not including individuals holding temporary caretaker roles – in the Premier League since it began 34 in the past.

"What really strikes me about Liam is he was raised and played locally, he understands this area," added Canoville.

"Whenever youngsters see someone like Liam in charge of their club, someone they can identify with, from a similar background, from a household that fights for equality… it is profound and shows them that opportunities exist.

"So yes, this represents a huge moment for the club, for the capital, for all young person dreaming big.

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

What Do the Data Indicate?

The iconic Dutchman Ruud Gullit was appointed Chelsea manager back in the nineties and became the Premier League's first black manager.

Twelve years later, by 2008, Paul Ince became the pioneering English black boss in the Premier League after taking charge at Blackburn Rovers.

The Hammers' boss Nuno Espirito Santo currently stands as the only other present top flight boss of colour.

The shortage of managers of colour across the English game is matched by a lack of diversity in the boardroom.

As per the BFP 2023's report, 43% of Premier League players come from black backgrounds.

However, analysis by the equality organization revealed just 3.2 percent of board and senior leadership management teams across most Premier League clubs are from minority ethnic communities.

At first-team coaching level, based on figures from 11 clubs, the figure stands at 2%.

For all coaching roles – including head coaches – from those same eleven clubs, the statistic is five percent.

"He's certainly made history by virtue of him being announced as a the Chelsea manager, and as an organization, we want to witness more such appointments," stated the chief executive of Kick It Out Samuel Okafor.

"It is acknowledged that there exists a wealth of talent present within ethnic minority communities... aspiring coaches desire the opportunity to demonstrate what they can do. We need to persist in striving to break those obstacles once and for all."

Furthermore, the new appointee is set to become the fourth full-time English head coaches currently in the Premier League – joining Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe as well as Scott Parker – which lags behind Europe's remaining big five leagues regarding homegrown managers.

Sixteen out of twenty first division managers in Italy are from Italy, 11 in La Liga in Spain, 12 in the Bundesliga in Germany while 10 of the 18 in France.

The present Chelsea 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 really motivating for up-and-coming British coaches in the system to witness someone get such a role with his background and we hope he does really well."

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

His father, Leroy, Liam's father, played for the likes of Fulham, the Hammers as well as Queens Park Rangers, with his coaching stint culminating in a brief stint in charge of then-League One side Brentford FC in 2006.

Two years ago, he was awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire in that year's 2019 New Year Honours for his services in combating discrimination in football and wider society.

After Liam retired from playing he pursued his father's footsteps. He began penning articles for a national newspaper, and in one piece he acknowledged the under-representation of black coaches. He highlighted that ethnicity does not determine coaching skill arguing that opportunities should be given based on qualification.

He further expressed the view he has often stated: that vast under-representation results in a failure to understand of players with diverse ethnic and cultural heritage.

During an interview with The Athletic FC, he explained how his star striker, Emmanuel Emegha, had been described as "hard to manage" or "passionate", noting that he understood the Netherlands player with Nigerian parentage. The striker is expected to join him with a move from Strasbourg to Chelsea in July.

In subsequent Guardian columns, he also confessed he was "embarrassed" upon hearing an unnamed staff member make a homophobic slur. He vowed support for the Premier League's inclusion campaign and authored an open letter to Donald Trump while he was in office, accusing him of "overt" racism.

He has subsequently made his name in the dugout – first at Hull City, later at Strasbourg – with Wayne Rooney recently stating he was "among the best coaches I've ever worked with" after their collaboration with Derby.

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

Chelsea boasted the Premier League's pioneering black boss in Gullit as well as the first black captain named Paul Elliott.

Elliott later held several senior positions, among them the Football Association's equality board|