Liam Rosenior has been confirmed as the new manager of Chelsea on a six-year contract.
Rosenior, 41, has taken over at Chelsea after Enzo Maresca was fired last week.
He joins Chelsea from Strasbourg, who are owned by the same company which owns Chelsea, so the hierarchy at the west London club already know him well and have been impressed with the excellent job he has done in France in taking Strasbourg to Europe and challenging the top clubs in Ligue 1.
Liam Rosenior on Chelsea appointment
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‘I am extremely humbled and honored to be appointed Head Coach of Chelsea Football Club. This is a club with a unique spirit and a proud history of winning trophies,” Rosenior said. “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. I will give everything to bring the success this club deserves.
“I believe deeply in teamwork, unity, togetherness and working for one another, and those values will be at the heart of everything we do. They will be the foundation of our success. I am excited to work with this extremely talented group of players and staff, to build strong connections on and off the pitch, and to create an environment where everyone feels united and driven by the same goal.
“There is a real hunger to win, and I will give everything, every single day, to help this team compete and win at the very highest level to make everyone connected and proud to be a part of Chelsea Football Club. I want our fans to be proud of who we are and what we represent in every single game that we play. They are the soul of this enormous, historic and huge football club. I cannot wait to meet you all. I cannot wait to get started.”
Intriguing decision by Chelsea
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There is no doubt that Rosenior is a very talented young manager and he’s worked wonders at Hull City and Strasbourg in recent years, but this appointment is bold from Chelsea.
Rosenior is in a good spot though, with Chelsea just outside the top four, in the League Cup semifinals and looking good in the Champions League. He needs a top four finish and a run to the Champions League quarterfinals to really build momentum at the start of his reign and Chelsea have the players to do it.
It will be intriguing to see how quickly Rosenior beds in his style of play as it is different to Maresca’s, but not by much. Chelsea will still look to play out but they will do it quicker and with more directness and that should suit the type of players they have.