THE WORLD has become accustomed to Chelsea hiring and firing managers, in fact the Abramovich era, characterised by short-term appointments, regular trophies and periods of regeneration, now seems very tolerant compared to the current regime at the club. Since Chelsea changed hands, the average tenure of their managers has been 401 days, compared to 509 in the period starting with José Mourinho’s first spell in the hot-seat.
Success at Chelsea is defined by silverware and Champions League qualification. Enzo Maresca achieved both in 2024-25 and until recently, Chelsea’s season was looking satisfactory with the promise of more success in the new year. However, the problem of modern-day club structures with complex organograms and data departments calculating transfer targets creates a different dynamic that can be difficult to navigate. In the space of a few days, stories emerged that firstly Maresca had upset his paymasters and then Ruben Amorim had suggested all was not well at Manchester United. The result was simple – the manager was sacked.
Chelsea’s uneasy ownership model has not yet delivered, despite two trophies last season. Look closely and the two additions to the honours list are not quite as glittering as they appeared; the UEFA Conference League is certainly a European trophy, but probably not the competition Chelsea had prioritised, while the FIFA Club World Cup was a tournament nobody really wanted apart from Gianni Infantino and his friends in Washington. The Chelsea hierarchy were undoubtedly more pleased about Champions League qualification.
From the supporters’ perspective, Chelsea’s buying policy has been a wild trolley-dash scooping up young players for big fees and then placing them on lengthy contracts. It all seems random and lacking proper strategy and although it is clear they have filtered their player pool, there are many who are simply average. With coaches coming and going, Chelsea’s squad has been constructed over a series of appointments, although it would seem likely the people making the decisions around acquisitions are not necessarily the team managers. Maresca was in the job for 549 days and had a win rate of 59.78%, perfectly respectable by most standards, but Chelsea have a problem around a lack of stability that has meant they haven’t kept pace with the likes of Manchester City.
Chelsea have been through a lengthy list of managers but they no longer seem able to be totally satisfied with their hirings, which either means they do not know exactly who they are bringing into the club or do not create the right environment for success. The cycle is monotonous; hiring takes place, “the man for us”; a honeymoon begins but then evaporates; rumblings of discontent filter out the club; the team is too inconsistent and the dressing room is in danger of being lost; and finally, “mutual consent” messages are posted on the club website. Chelsea are not the only club to operate like this, it is rapidly becoming the norm across top-level football.
Their new coach, 41-year-old Liam Rosenior has effectively been transferred over from the other club in the multi-club model. He’s been a coach for 153 games, at Hull, Derby and of course, Strasbourg. His name has been mentioned in despatches for a year or so, but this could be more risky than André Villas-Boas or Graham Potter. If it works, it will be heralded as a master-stroke, but if it doesn’t, it will look like another half-baked decision. And if it fails miserably, it could damage a promising career for Rosenior. Sooner or later, Chelsea have to make the right hiring – have they got the right man this time?
Game of the People was founded in 2012 and is ranked among the 100 best football websites by various sources. The site consistently wins awards for its work, across a broad range of subjects. [View all posts by Neil Fredrik Jensen](https://gameofthepeople.com/author/georgefjord/)