Liam Rosenior has asked Chelsea fans directly to hold off on passing judgment until they see his team play. Earlier this week, it was announced that the 41-year-old would be the head coach under a contract that runs through 2032. He came from Strasbourg, another BlueCo-owned club, to take over for Enzo Maresca.
Rosenior is taking over a Chelsea team that is struggling. They are currently eighth in the Premier League after failing to win in five games. The Englishman has never coached in the Premier League before. He used to coach Hull City in the Championship and spent 18 months at Strasbourg, where he led the French team to a seventh-place finish in Ligue 1 last season.
People are surprised by his appointment because of the size of the job, but the new boss is asking for patience before the real scrutiny starts. Rosenior brought up one of the most decorated managers in the game’s history to back up his claims:
“Everybody starts somewhere. There’s a great quote from Mourinho. Mourinho is one of my heroes. I’ve studied him. He said it took him ’20 years to become an overnight success’. It’s the same for anyone. You’re not a name until you become a name.”
The message to supporters was clear and without apology.
“Judge what you see. Don’t judge what you hear. Don’t judge my press conferences. I don’t win any games here [at the press conference]. Judge what you see on the pitch. Give myself, my staff and my players the chance to prove we are worthy. Judge us and be fair. If the performances aren’t good enough, I’ll be the first one to say that. I will hold my hands up. Give us the chance.”
Rosenior also stressed how important the fans at Stamford Bridge are to the success of his project.
“Fans are very important for the mood. They really change the energy of the players. I want a team that is brave, fearless, and willing to make mistakes.”
And the former defender was very clear about taking a job that many people think is too hard for him.
“I wouldn’t have taken the job if I didn’t think I could do well here. It wouldn’t have been fair to the fans or the players.”
This weekend, Chelsea play Charlton in the third round of the FA Cup. After that, they play Arsenal in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-finals. It won’t be long before Rosenior’s credentials are put to the test.
Why Enzo Maresca Quit Chelsea
Enzo Maresca left Stamford Bridge on New Year’s Day, ending his 18-month stay there. He had a lot of success during that time. The Italian had won the Conference League, the Club World Cup, and a spot in the Champions League by finishing fourth in the Premier League.
But behind the scenes, his relationship with the club’s leaders had broken down. Sources revealed that the main reason he left was a falling-out with the club’s management after Chelsea won only one of their last seven Premier League games.
Aside from this, Maresca and the Chelsea medical staff didn’t always agree on how fit and available players were. After Chelsea beat Everton in mid-December, the tension became public when Maresca shocked reporters by saying that he had had his “worst 48 hours” at the club and that “many people didn’t support us.” He didn’t add anything else.