Liam Rosenior has been confirmed as Chelsea’s head coach on a contract to 2032, describing the opportunity to succeed Enzo Maresca at Stamford Bridge as one he could not turn down.
Rosenior has left Strasbourg, Chelsea’s partner club, after holding talks over the role on Monday. He said on Tuesday at a Strasbourg press conference: “I have had interest from many clubs, including Champions League clubs, which I have always been open with to [club president] Marc [Keller] and our ownership. I will love this club for the rest of my life but I cannot turn down Chelsea.”
After Maresca departed Stamford Bridge in acrimonious circumstances last week, Rosenior immediately became the leading contender. But the move was held up by BlueCo, the investment vehicle that owns Chelsea and Strasbourg, needing to be sensitive to the requirements of both clubs. Strasbourg have finalised a deal for Gary O’Neil to be their manager.
Rosenior told Chelsea’s website: “This is a club with a unique spirit and a proud history of winning trophies. My job is to protect that identity and create a team that reflects these values in every game we play as we continue winning trophies. To be entrusted with this role means the world to me and I want to thank all involved for the opportunity and faith in undertaking this job.”
Rosenior, who leaves Strasbourg with his young side seventh in Ligue 1, has longstanding relationships with three of Chelsea’s five sporting directors. His contract runs for one year longer than the sporting directors’, whereas Maresca had a deal until 2029 with a club option of a further year.
The former Hull manager is regarded as a bright prospect and there will not have to be a major tactical shift away from Maresca’s template. Chelsea, who are fifth in the Premier League, visit Fulham on Wednesday. They host the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final against Arsenal next week.
“I am so excited about the future,” Rosenior said. “I have worked my whole life to be a coach and manage a world-class football club. That does bring sadness for what I am leaving behind. This is emotional as it is my last day and time I wake up as a Strasbourg manager.”
Rosenior said that two of his assistants, Kalifa Cissé and Justin Walker, and Strasbourg’s head of analysis, Ben Warner, would come with him to Chelsea.
The Strasbourg Supporters’ Federation, which opposes multi-club ownership, issued a strongly worded statement. “The transfer of Liam Rosenior marks another humiliating step in Racing’s subservience to Chelsea,” it said.
“For two and a half years we, with others, have tried to raise awareness about this issue. The problem goes far beyond the mid-season sporting impact and the ambitions of a young coach. It is structural, the future of French club football is at stake.”
Maresca wrote on Instagram that he had departed Chelsea “with the inner peace of leaving a prestigious club like Chelsea where it deserves to be” and sent thanks to the fans and players.
The appointment of Rosenior coincided with a new survey of Chelsea Supporters’ Trust members showing major dissatisfaction with the running of the club: 52.5% of respondents said they were very unconfident that Chelsea will be able to sustain on‑pitch success over the next three to five years, 53.7% said that they had no confidence in the ownership’s football decisions and a majority expressed a strong lack of belief in the sporting structure.
