Chelsea have named Liam Rosenior as their new head coach on a contract through 2032. This is a quick leadership change following Enzo Maresca’s departure on New Year’s Day. The 41-year-old Englishman comes from RC Strasbourg, where he helped the French team qualify for Europe for the first time in 19 years.
The Blues are currently fifth in the Premier League after a difficult period that saw Maresca’s 18-month tenure end abruptly. Rosenior will be in charge of Saturday’s FA Cup third-round game against Championship side Charlton Athletic. Interim boss Calum McFarlane will be in charge of Wednesday’s league game against Fulham. Before his successful time in Ligue 1, Rosenior coached Hull City and Derby County.
The new manager spoke with confidence about what he needed to do at Stamford Bridge. He said:
“I am extremely humbled and honoured 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 talked about how he would do his job, stressing that it was his job to keep the club’s winning culture alive:
“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.”
The former defender made it clear what his main goals were in assembling the team. He said:
“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.”
Rosenior led Strasbourg to seventh place in Ligue 1 last season, and they remain there this season, though they are at the top of the Conference League standings. The appointment aligns with Chelsea’s plan to develop talent through BlueCo’s multi-club ownership structure. Strasbourg are a way for players and now coaches to move up to Stamford Bridge.
Why Enzo Maresca Left Chelsea
Enzo Maresca’s time at Chelsea ended on New Year’s Day after he and the club’s management had a falling-out. The Italian left because he thought his job was no longer tenable, but Chelsea were also thinking about firing him.
The Blues’ poor results were a major reason, as they won only one of their last seven Premier League games. During that period, Chelsea fell 15 points behind Arsenal, who were in first. Maresca’s last game was a 2-2 home draw against Bournemouth.
There was significant tension due to numerous disagreements with Chelsea’s medical staff over how to manage players’ health and workloads. The club has its own medical team that makes suggestions to the head coach, who is expected to follow them to keep the players safe. Sources say that Maresca ignored these suggestions more than once.
After Chelsea beat Everton in mid-December, things worsened publicly. Maresca shocked reporters when he said he had had his “worst 48 hours” at the club and that “many people didn’t support us.” He then declined several opportunities to elaborate on these comments, which led to instability within 19 days of the statement.
Reports also said that Maresca spoke with Manchester City about possibly taking over from Pep Guardiola. Sources say the Italian talked to City three times: twice in late October and once in mid-December. Maresca informed Chelsea about these talks, but the timing and nature of the contact worsened the relationship.