Former Reading defender Kalifa Cisse has been appointed as Liam Rosenior's first-team coach at Chelsea.
As Liam Rosenior prepares to take charge of his first game as Chelsea head coach, the backroom staff who will be assisting him have been confirmed.
The former Reading defender’s appointment was confirmed on Tuesday and, having taken a watching brief for Chelsea's clash with Fulham, Rosenior will be in the dugout for the first time as they face Charlton Athletic in the third round of the FA Cup on Saturday.
Rosenior has been joined at Stamford Bridge by former Reading defender Kalifa Cisse and former Cambridge United midfielder Justin Walker.
Both will take on the roles of first-team coaches and had previously worked with Rosenior at RC Strasbourg. Ben Warner has also joined from the Ligue 1 club as first-team analyst.
Kalifa Cisse played 83 games for the Royals since he joined from Portuguese side Boavista for around £1 million in the summer of 2007. In his time with the Royals Cisse scored seven goals and also provided two assists.
Both Cisse was Rosenior joined Reading in the same summer - with Rosenior making the move from Fulham and playing alongside Cisse. Rosenior joined Ipswich Town on loan for the 2008/9 season and then left Reading in 2010 before joining Hull City.
Cisse stayed with Reading for three years before making the switch to Bristol City in 2010.
Calum McFarlane has been promoted from Chelsea Under-21s lead to the role of first-team coach, having overseen the first team prior to Rosenior’s arrival. Harry Hudson will now take charge of our Under-21s.
Chelsea's head of global goalkeeping, Ben Roberts, joins Rosenior’s staff as goalkeeper coach and Bernardo Cueva continues to lead the set-piece department.