“Liam Rognoll is a good coach and he knows the game inside out and that’s all that matters. I wish him and his staff all the best.
“But as Chelsea’s first black player, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t moved by this moment.”
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Those were the words of Paul Canover, who made his historic Blues first-team debut as a substitute against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in April 1982.
On Tuesday, Chelsea appointed 41-year-old Strasbourg coach Ronniol as their new head coach following the departure of Enzo Maresca.
Strasburg is part of Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital’s BlueCo multi-club ownership group, which also controls Chelsea.
In the 34 years since the Premier League was founded, there have been only 12 black managers.
“What really impressed me about Liam is that he grew up and played not far from here and he understands this community,” Canoville added.
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“When kids see someone like Liam running their club, someone who looks like them, comes from their purpose, comes from a family that fights for what’s right… it’s powerful and shows them the path is out there.
“So, yes, it’s a big moment for the club, for London, for every young person who has big dreams.
“But now what? Let’s support Liam, give him what he needs and let him do his job.”
What does the data show?
Dutch legend Ruud Gullit was appointed Chelsea manager in 1996 and became the first black manager in the top flight.
Twelve years later, in 2008, Paul Ince took over at Blackburn Rovers, becoming the first black British manager in the top flight.
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West Ham United manager Nuno Espirito Santo is currently the only manager of color in the top flight.
There is a lack of managers of color in British football and a lack of representation on boardrooms.
According to the Black Footballer Partnership 2023 report, 43% of Premier League players are from black backgrounds.
However, analysis by Kick It Out found that only 3.2% of board and senior leadership management teams at 17 of the 20 Premier League clubs are from a different ethnic background.
At senior coaching level, according to 11 clubs, the figure is 2%.
For all coaching positions (including senior positions) from the same 11 clubs, the figure is 5%.
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Kick It Out chief executive Samuel Okafor said: “His appointment as Chelsea manager is definitely breaking barriers and we hope to see more of this.”
“We know there’s a wealth of talent in Black and underrepresented communities … who want the opportunity to showcase what they can do. We need to continue working to break down those barriers.”
Additionally, Ronior will become the fourth permanent English manager – joining Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe and Scott Parker – in a Premier League which lags behind Europe’s other five major leagues in terms of national representation.
Sixteen of the top 20 coaches in Italy are Italian, 11 of the top 20 coaches in Spain are Spanish, 12 of the top 18 coaches in Germany are German, and 10 of the top 18 coaches in France are French.
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Current Chelsea interim manager Callum McFarlane said: “I’m sure all young British coaches coming from an academy background will support Liam in some way.
“It’s really inspiring for a young English academy coach to see someone get the job in this capacity and we wish him well.”
Liam Rogniol becomes Chelsea’s second black coach after Ruud Gullit [Getty Images]
“Let’s not forget – he got here on merit.”
Liam’s father, Leroy Rosenior, played for the likes of Fulham, West Ham United and QPR, with his managerial career peaking in 2006 when he spent five months at then First Division side Brentford.
In 2019, he was awarded an MBE in the 2019 New Year Honors in recognition of his contribution to tackling discrimination in football and wider society.
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When Ronnie Orr Jr. retired, he followed in his father’s footsteps. He began writing a column for the Guardian, and in 2017 he acknowledged the underrepresentation of black coaches. He stressed that race did not affect ability and said opportunities should be provided based on merit.
He also reiterated the point that severe under-representation leads to misunderstandings about players from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
Speaking on the Athletic FC podcast, Ronior highlighted how his star striker Emmanuel Emerga has been labeled “difficult” and “emotional” but said he understood the Netherlands international, who is of Nigerian descent. Emerga will join him on the move from Strasbourg to Chelsea in July.
In a further column in the Guardian, Ronniol also admitted that he was “ashamed” to hear an unknown coach make a homophobic slur when he was a player. He pledged support for the Premier League’s rainbow laces campaign and wrote an open letter to Donald Trump during his inauguration as US president, accusing him of “blatant” racism.
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Ronnie Orr has since become a manager, first at Hull City and then Strasbourg, and Wayne Rooney this week said he was “the best manager I’ve ever worked with” after working together at Derby County.
Ronnie Orr was farewelled in Strasbourg on Tuesday morning before signing a six-and-a-half-year contract with Chelsea.
The Blues have Gullit, the first black head coach in the Premier League, and Paul Elliott, the first black captain.
Elliott has since held a number of senior roles, including on the FA’s diversity and inclusion committee, and is now vice-chairman of Charlton Athletic, whom Chelsea face in the FA Cup third round on Sunday.
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“Liam, to me, represents everything that is right about the 21st century,” Elliott said.
“He’s a fantastic player, very articulate, very intelligent and you can see that whatever he does – whether it’s as a head coach or as a technical director – he understands the game very well.
“Whatever he does, I know he will succeed. His passion is to build a career in football management. He talks in a way that I haven’t heard from a lot of people – you feel like you’re learning.”
“It sends a strong, positive message to current and future generations – that people of color like Liam can rise to the top and be at the forefront of football management.
“But let’s not forget – he came by merit. He came by talent.”
