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Rosenior to Chelsea: ‘collaboration’ turns the Strasbourg air blue

BLUES BROTHER

While Football Daily spent most of New Year’s Day shivering, sweating and staring at hallucinatory rodents while questioning the wisdom of embarking on our first Dry January since 1989, it didn’t escape our blurred vision that Chelsea chose to ring in 2026 by firing Enzo Maresca. While he may have grown up the son of a humble Italian fisherman, the head coach had gotten a little too big for his waders, eventually being tossed into an ocean of opaque criticism he had levelled at unspecified members of the club hierarchy. Like a frail old man bobbing around the Tyrrhenian Sea while trying to reel in a 500lb bluefin tuna with a spool of dental floss, Maresca had picked a battle he was always going to lose – and on Tuesday Chelsea unveiled the Italian’s replacement.

In a quaint callback to their former habit of selling hotels and women’s football teams they already own to themselves, the club’s owners BlueCo confirmed they had lured Liam Rosenior to Stamford Bridge from Strasbourg who, as luck would have it, are also owned by BlueCo. The 41-year-old has signed a contract until 2032, or until his sort-of-new employers discover he used to be an intelligent, opinionated and socially aware Big Website columnist who might not be the kind of malleable Yes Man they require for the spreadsheet to function.

“This is a club with a unique spirit and a proud history of winning trophies,” parped Rosenior. “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.” In his final press conference as Strasbourg’s gaffer, Rosenior told reporters that the Ligue 1 club – currently sitting seventh – will always have a place in his heart but insisted “I could not turn down Chelsea”. While the Alsatian faithful are unlikely to begrudge a young coach his step up the ladder, they are understandably weary of their club’s undignified status as a glorified feeder team to be plundered at will by their senior partners in London.

“Liam Rosenior’s transfer marks yet another humiliating step in Racing’s subjugation to Chelsea,” fumed a statement from the Federation Supporters RCS, who have long been railing against multi-club ownership. “For two-and-a-half years we and others have been trying to raise the alarm about this. The problem goes far beyond the sporting impact mid-season and the ambitions of a young coach. It is structural; the future of French club football is at stake.” While Strasbourg fans have recently become renowned for their 15-minute silent protests, this latest bit of BlueCo “collaboration” may finally turn that silence into a cacophony of justified fury.

LIVE ON BIG WEBSITE

Join Yara El-Shaboury now for live coverage of Algeria 2-1 DR Congo in the last 16 of Afcon (4pm GMT kick-off) and then Billy Munday will be at the controls for West Ham 0-0 Nottingham Forest in the Premier League at 8pm.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“It’s a blessing to have these relationships. To see them not just for what everybody else sees: a centre-back, a striker for Wolves. These guys are like family to me. I’m lucky to get to see this side of them, to be there when things are good, when things are bad. We’re not just players and staff here. It’s something more” – Sam Dalling goes behind the scenes with the Wolves kitman Sean Ruiz.

FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS

So Chelsea are so confident that Liam Rosenior is the answer that they have given him a contract until 2032. Odds on him still being there in six years’ time? There’s more chance of Accrington Stanley winning the FA Cup (and they got knocked out in the first round). Are football club owners mad or just desperate?” – John Myles.

It’s quite sad to see Thomas Frank under increasing pressure at Spurs (for not solving all the problems that have dogged them for the last 40 years at a club that finished 17th last season, one place above relegation). Still, the one thing that should help him in this challenging period is that there isn’t anyone available with extensive experience of being an interim manager at Spurs. Oh. Meanwhile, Martin O’Neill returning as Celtic manager (now they don’t have to play Hearts again obviously), after spending only 37 days as interim and yet somehow outlasting the subsequent full-time manager, is both utterly predictable and yet simultaneously farcical. The skeleton of Jock Stein must be roaming the Scottish countryside in search of a pair of eyeballs to roll …” – Noble Francis.

As we emerge into the sunlit uplands of 2026, can any of us honestly say that we had a 3-0 Wolves win, Chelsea, Celtic and Manchester United managerial exits, plus the audacious midnight capturing of a sitting South American president by the winner of Fifa’s peace prize on our festive bingo cards? Thought not. Happy new year! We’re off to a flyer!” – Allastair McGillivray.

If you have any, please send letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s winner of our prizeless letter o’ the day is … Noble Francis. Terms and conditions for our competitions, when we have them, are here.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING

As promised, here’s a bonus episode of Football Weekly on Ruben Amorim’s sacking and what next for Manchester United.

RECOMMENDED LOOKING

It’s David Squires on … Amorim and Maresca being thrown overboard amid Premier League power struggles.

THE HOOPS ARE REALLY INTERIM

28 October 2025: “This is definitely interim. There is excitement … I was asked if I’d come in and hold proceedings until they found a permanent manager. I had 10 minutes to make up my mind, which I did. No hesitation” – Martin O’Neill agrees to mind shop at Celtic after Brendan Rodgers’ departure.

3 December 2025: “These players have been absolutely fantastic and that’s why they are champions. It’s been a privilege to work with them and I have had the time of my life in the past five or six weeks” – O’Neill signs off after doing his bit.

6 January 2026: “I’m obviously very pleased and privileged to be back … but in circumstances like this, with Wilfried [Nancy] leaving the club, that just seems a wee bit strange at this moment. We know we’re in a big fight. We’re going to try and win the league. It won’t be easy, although it never is” – and he’s back again, this time till the end of the season, all being well.

NEWS, BITS AND BOBS

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has condemned the “horrible” racist abuse aimed at Joe Willock. The Magpies called in police and called on Meta to act after the 26-year-old was targeted online in an attack the club as described as “deeply disturbing”. Howe said: “I really felt for Joe, to have to read that and absorb the words that were sent to him. Just his reaction, again, I thought was first-class.”

With Josko Gvardiol requiring surgery after breaking a shinbone, Manchester City may swoop for Palace’s in-demand Marc Guéhi. A fee of £40m is apparently required to prise the defender out of his current contract six months early.

Ryan Mason has paid the price for West Brom losing 10 away games in a row after Abdul Fatawu’s 94th-minute strike consigned the Baggies to a 2-1 defeat at Leicester. Who is the interim, we hear you ask? It’s club stalwart James Morrison.

Ademola Lookman, Victor Osimhen (twice) and Akor Adams got the goals for Nigeria in a 4-0 battering of Mozambique in their Afcon last-16 clash. Mohamed Salah got Egypt’s third as the Pharaohs required extra time to beat Benin 3-1.

James Milner will become the fifth outfield player to play in the Premier League aged 40 or older if he features in Brighton’s midweek fixture at Manchester City – and Seagulls head coach Fabian Hürzeler would like the grizzled veteran to keep going. “I will do my best to keep on working with him, because it’s a big help for me, it’s a big help for the club and for his teammates,” he swooned.

And Gary Neville has sold a majority stake in his media business The Overlap, including its flagship show Stick to Football, to commercial radio giant Global. The investment in the YouTube show will go back into the business to “build a multi-format sports media network”, whatever that means.

RECOMMENDED SUBSCRIBING

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STILL WANT MORE?

Come and get yer Manchester United hot takes: Will Unwin sifts through the in-tray that awaits any new Old Trafford manager/head coach, while Rob Draper explains why Ruben Amorim’s tenure was doomed from the off, and Jamie Jackson trains his spotlight on the shortcomings of the higher-ups.

Talking of big clubs that were Big Cup champions in the 60s and are now in a right old state, Ewan Murray gives his verdict on Celtic’s turmoil in the aftermath of the failed Wilfried Nancy experiment.

Bento to West Ham? Stuttgart’s Leweling to Bournemouth? Will Unwin has the latest Rumour Mill tittle-tattle.

And Big Website’s January transfer guides are live – keep track of all major deals in men’s and women’s football all month long.

RECOMMENDED PLAYING

Big Website has kicked off a new chapter in puzzles with the launch of its first daily football game, On the ball. It’s now live in the app for IOS and Android … so what are you waiting for?

MEMORY LANE

11 January 1987: Paul Walsh on Luton’s frozen artificial pitch in the third round of the FA Cup. Is there a more Subbuteo-looking ball than an orange Adidas Tango? The matchball was perhaps the best thing about the tie, which ended 0-0. The replay at Anfield was also goalless, before the Reds finally put long-suffering fans out of their misery with a 3-0 win back at Kenilworth Road more than a month later.

HE’S NO TONY PARKES

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