Chelsea may be left kicking themselves in the future after putting themselves in a difficult position in the process of appointing Liam Rosenior. The former Strasbourg boss was announced as the Blues' new head coach on Tuesday, just five days after Enzo Maresca departed his role at Stamford Bridge. Rosenior will watch Wednesday's game against Fulham from the stands, with Calum McFarlane taking charge at Craven Cottage.
His first game on the touchline will be on Saturday night, when Chelsea travel across the capital to face Charlton Athletic in the FA Cup third round. Rosenior has signed a long-term contract with his new employers, keeping him tied down until the summer of 2032, but history suggests he won't have the opportunity to see out that deal.
Since the Blues had a change of ownership in 2022, they have gone through five managers. Thomas Tuchel only lasted four months after the takeover, being dismissed less than a year after winning the Champions League.
It reportedly resulted in Tuchel landing a £13million severance package before Graham Potter was appointed to replace him.
The former Brighton boss was ultimately sacked around seven months after signing a five-year contract, meaning Chelsea had to spend a significant amount of money to pay out his deal.
Frank Lampard took charge on a temporary basis for two months before Mauricio Pochettino was snapped up. He agreed a two-year deal with the option of an additional year but was axed at the end of his first season, resulting in a payout worth around £10m.
Maresca was next on the managerial conveyor belt and was successful in his debut campaign, winning the Conference League and Club World Cup.
However, it wasn't enough to prevent him from being sacked after making some pointed comments in a press conference following last month's game against Everton.
He wasn't explicitly sacked by Chelsea, who only said they had 'parted company' with the Italian. As a result, they reportedly avoided paying Maresca a severance package worth close to £14m.
The appointment of Rosenior is a huge gamble for the Blues, given that he is unproven at the elite level and has no trophy-winning experience under his belt.
If he is sacked before the end of his long-term contract, which looks likely based on previous managers, they will have to fork out more millions to relieve him of his duties.
Had they appointed Rosenior on a shorter-term basis, it would have eliminated the prospect of needing to pay a fortune in the event of the move not working out.
However, the contract has already been signed and Chelsea will be praying for Rosenior's success as they look to steer clear of yet another costly severance package.