Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior has achieved a landmark moment in his career by becoming the first permanent black English manager at a big-six club. While some fans may question his experience, the ownership behind the appointment seems to be employing a different approach from their predecessors under Roman Abramovich.
It's worth noting that several high-profile managers have secured top jobs with relatively limited coaching experience. Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard come to mind as examples of successful appointments made without extensive managerial credentials. Wayne Rooney, who coached alongside Rosenior at Derby, has expressed support for the former Strasbourg and Hull City manager, highlighting the value of his unique background.
However, despite this progress, the league still lags behind in terms of diversity among its managers. Rosenior's appointment is a reminder that there are many talented coaches from underrepresented backgrounds who deserve opportunities to shine at the top level.
The root cause of this issue lies in the lack of diverse leadership and recruitment practices within clubs. The League Managers Association has spoken about informal methods of recruitment, where preferred candidates may be appointed without an interview process. This raises concerns about implicit bias and a need for more transparent governance structures.
The Independent Football Regulator will play a crucial role in addressing these issues by requiring clubs to publish workforce diversity data across their 92 clubs. While the current two-year publication cycle is a step in the right direction, calling for annual reports would help to measure progress and drive meaningful change.
The Rosenior appointment has sparked hope that other clubs may follow suit and break down barriers for future generations of coaches from diverse backgrounds. With the support of football stakeholders, including Kick It Out, there's no reason why this can't happen sooner rather than later.
It's worth noting that several high-profile managers have secured top jobs with relatively limited coaching experience. Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard come to mind as examples of successful appointments made without extensive managerial credentials. Wayne Rooney, who coached alongside Rosenior at Derby, has expressed support for the former Strasbourg and Hull City manager, highlighting the value of his unique background.
However, despite this progress, the league still lags behind in terms of diversity among its managers. Rosenior's appointment is a reminder that there are many talented coaches from underrepresented backgrounds who deserve opportunities to shine at the top level.
The root cause of this issue lies in the lack of diverse leadership and recruitment practices within clubs. The League Managers Association has spoken about informal methods of recruitment, where preferred candidates may be appointed without an interview process. This raises concerns about implicit bias and a need for more transparent governance structures.
The Independent Football Regulator will play a crucial role in addressing these issues by requiring clubs to publish workforce diversity data across their 92 clubs. While the current two-year publication cycle is a step in the right direction, calling for annual reports would help to measure progress and drive meaningful change.
The Rosenior appointment has sparked hope that other clubs may follow suit and break down barriers for future generations of coaches from diverse backgrounds. With the support of football stakeholders, including Kick It Out, there's no reason why this can't happen sooner rather than later.
think its kinda cool that liam rosenior got the job but still think we need to push harder on this diversity thing. like, its progress and all but theres so many talented black ppl out there who deserve top jobs its not fair that they gotta wait for someone to get it before they can shine 
! Rosenior's achievement is not just a milestone for him but also a sign that things are slowly changing. I mean, who would've thought 5-10 years ago that someone like Gerrard or Lampard could get the job? It shows that experience isn't always the only requirement.
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I'm like totally hyped about Liam Rosenior becoming the first permanent black English manager at a big-six club! 
This is such an amazing milestone for diversity and inclusion in football. I mean, we've seen other successful managers come from unconventional backgrounds, but this is a game-changer. The fact that the ownership is being super supportive of his appointment shows that there's still room for growth and change.
The League Managers Association has got a point about those informal methods of hiring, and I think an annual report requirement would make such a huge difference.
Kudos to Kick It Out for being part of this movement, and I'm sure we'll see more clubs following suit soon.