Liam Rosenior's comments after joining Chelsea have been branded 'stupid' and offensive
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MARCH 21: Liam Rosenior, Manager of Chelsea, looks on prior to the Premier League match between Everton and Chelsea at Hill Dickinson Stadium on March 21, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Chelsea Football Club/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
Strasbourg fans haven't taken too kindly to Liam Rosenior's comments(Image: Chelsea Football Club, Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
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Liam Rosenior damaged his standing at Strasbourg by departing for Chelsea in January. That's the view of Alexandre, spokesperson for the Strasbourg Supporters' Federation, who knows a great deal about how the English coach saw out his spell at the Ligue 1 club - not to mention the backlash that followed his decision to move to London after being chosen to succeed Enzo Maresca at Stamford Bridge.
Former Hull and Brighton defender Rosenior made his name as a manager with the former and then joined Strasbourg, winning praise for the side's style of football and on-field results despite having one of the youngest squads on the continent at his disposal. A difficult run of results in November and December didn't stand in his way of landing the top position at Chelsea after Maresca left on New Year's Day.
The Englishman's exit has only had a "minor impact" on Strasbourg according to Alexandre, who noted that Rosenior's remarks about the club since his departure have been labelled as "stupid" by supporters. When questioned about the feelings Strasbourg fans now hold towards Rosenior, he told football.london: "Well, it's clearly negative".
He continued: "There were a lot of people who were really disappointed, not only by the fact that he left in such a manner, but also about his comments. He made a very stupid comment saying that we should be proud to have a manager who went on to be at Chelsea.
"That was really, really not something you would like to say because it really hurt at Strasbourg. And then he also said something in his first press conference at Chelsea, about the French public being very critical of him. And that was not the case.
"He was saying all the right things and he was telling everybody what they want to hear and then he left in such a manner and he made these really stupid comments. So we see him very negatively right now."
Despite Rosenior's fast start at Chelsea where he delivered four straight victories in the league, the positive atmosphere has since evaporated with the club seeing domestic form tail off and suffering an embarrassing 8-2 aggregate Champions League elimination by Paris Saint-Germain.
Strasbourg's British head coach Liam Rosenior addresses media during a press conference at the Stade de la Meinau in Strasbourg, eastern France on January 6, 2026. Strasbourg coach Liam Rosenior announced on January 6, 2026 that he had reached a "verbal agreement" to join Chelsea. (Photo by ROMEO BOETZLE / AFP via Getty Images)
Strasbourg's British head coach Liam Rosenior addresses media during a press conference at the Stade de la Meinau in Strasbourg, eastern France on January 6, 2026. Strasbourg coach Liam Rosenior announced on January 6, 2026 that he had reached a "verbal agreement" to join Chelsea. (Photo by ROMEO BOETZLE / AFP via Getty Images)
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Rosenior left Strasbourg for Chelsea midway through the campaign(Image: ROMEO BOETZLE, AFP via Getty Images)
Alexandre maintained that while there were positive elements to Rosenior's spell in France, the boss was approaching his managerial limits towards the conclusion of his Ligue 1 stint. He explained: "He was playing some high-risk entertaining football and he also had a very decent series of results in the spring of 2025.
"The last two or three months of 2025 were a bit more difficult for him, just before he went to Chelsea, so it seemed that he was kind of reaching his ceiling. But overall, he had made a very positive impression in France until his departure was really badly managed.
"Well, it's clearly negative. I mean, there were a lot of people who were really disappointed, not only by the fact that he left in such a manner, but also about his comments. He made a very stupid comment saying that we should be proud to have a manager who went on to be at Chelsea.
"Especially with some declarations that he made in press conferences, either at Strasbourg or Chelsea, which were considered offensive by many people in France, including Strasbourg supporters, but not only."
Strasbourg's supporters hold banners hostile to the new owner of the club reading "Losing executives, deplorable strategy - Only one person to blame, Blueco" during the French L1 football match between RC Strasbourg Alsace and stade Brestois 29 at the Stade de la Meinau in Strasbourg, eastern France, on February 24, 2024. (Photo by SEBASTIEN BOZON / AFP) (Photo by SEBASTIEN BOZON/AFP via Getty Images)
Strasbourg's supporters hold banners hostile to the new owner of the club reading "Losing executives, deplorable strategy - Only one person to blame, Blueco" during the French L1 football match between RC Strasbourg Alsace and stade Brestois 29 at the Stade de la Meinau in Strasbourg, eastern France, on February 24, 2024. (Photo by SEBASTIEN BOZON / AFP) (Photo by SEBASTIEN BOZON/AFP via Getty Images)
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Strasbourg fans have strong feelings about multi-club ownership(Image: SEBASTIEN BOZON, AFP via Getty Images)
Chelsea and Strasbourg are both under the ownership of parent company BlueCo and the English club have already snapped up some of the French outfit's promising young talents, amongst them Mamadou Sarr and Emmanuel Emegha, with the latter due to move in the summer. The multi-club model has drawn considerable criticism from Strasbourg supporters who are deeply unhappy at watching their club transformed into an unofficial Chelsea reserve side.
The club's ultras refuse to sing or chant during the opening 15 minutes of every fixture, instead falling silent as a demonstration of their opposition to the club's ownership. While Rosenior's exit is merely the latest flashpoint to fuel supporters' fury towards BlueCo and Chelsea, Alexandre insists the only viable resolution is a complete severing of ties between the two clubs.
When asked whether fans have accepted the inevitability of losing their finest players to Chelsea, he went on: "Well, we do not feel resigned. I mean, we know it's going to happen with this ownership and we hate it because we are against multi-club ownership and we think that multi-club ownership should be banned."
"And that's why we are fighting this ownership so that it doesn't happen anymore. We know that as long as BlueCo is there, that's going to be the rule. But the real solution is to kick BlueCo out."
Sitting sixth in the table and languishing six points shy of Aston Villa in fourth, Chelsea need to show instant improvement if they are to secure Champions League football. They have daunting clashes against Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool still to come, as well as a derby against a Tottenham side fighting to avoid relegation.
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