Liam Rosenior confirms Strasbourg exit as he’s set to take Chelsea job

Liam Rosenior has confirmed he is leaving Strasbourg and is set to replace Enzo Maresca at Chelsea.

Rosenior held a press conference at the Ligue 1 club on Tuesday morning and said ‘it looks like I’m going to be the manager of that football club’.

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Speaking at that press conference, he said: “It’s an unbelievable opportunity at an incredible club, the world champions, and one I just couldn’t turn down. And I can go home, and see my kids. I have made a sacrifice being away from them.

“It’s been the best 18 months of my professional career here at Strasbourg. I have met some incredible people and none of that happens without the hard work of everyone connected with this football club. It’s not just Chelsea, I have had interest from other Champion League clubs. But this opportunity, I can’t turn down.

“I was given permission to speak to one of the biggest clubs in the world. It was an honour to be associated with a club like that, and now, it looks like I will be the next manager of that football club.”

However, he insisted the deal was not quite done just yet.

He added: “I haven’t signed yet. I have verbally agreed with Chelsea. Everything has been agreed and will probably go through in the next few hours.”

Rosenior also confirmed Justin Walker and Kalifa Cissé will also be joining him at Chelsea.

Maresca’s Chelsea exit

Maresca left his role as Chelsea head coach on New Year’s Day after a complete relationship breakdown between the 45-year-old and the club.

Maresca’s shock exit marked the end of just 18 months in charge, in which he spearheaded the Blues to the UEFA Europa Conference League, Club World Cup and their return back into the Champions League.

Chelsea won just one of their seven previous league games with the Italian in charge, which saw them slide down to fifth in the Premier League table.

Maresca has been criticized of late for some questionable decision-making, including that of his substitution of Cole Palmer in their 2-2 draw against Bournemouth when the game was evenly poised.

That same game, he refused to attend his post-match press conference, in which his absence was initially reported as being down to illness, though it was later revealed that it was because he was considering his options at the club.

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Earlier in December, after Chelsea’s 2-0 win over Everton, Maresca vocalised his growing frustrations with the Blues, claiming that he had endured the ‘worst 48 hours’ since his arrival at Stamford Bridge.

Amid reports that Maresca’s main fallout behind the scenes was with Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali, the two parties ultimately decided that it was in the best interests of everybody to part ways.

Rosenior to Chelsea

Rosenior emerged as the leading frontrunner for the vacant managerial job shortly after Maresca’s departure, and he now joins the Blues from Strasbourg after having guided the French outfit to a seventh-place finish in his debut season at the helm.

The 41-year-old’s former employers are owned by investment vehicle BlueCo, which is the consortium that was set up to purchase Chelsea back in 2022.

The ex-Premier League right-back enjoyed spells with Fulham, Reading, Hull City and Brighton and Hove Albion during his playing career, making 141 total appearances in the English top flight.

After retiring from playing in 2018, Rosenior took up the position of an assistant coach with Brighton’s under-23s, before being appointed as a first team coach to Phillip Cocu at Derby County.

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When ex-Manchester United and Everton star Wayne Rooney took charge of the Rams, Rosenior was promoted as his assistant manager.

Following Rooney’s resignation in June 2022, Rosenior took over as interim manager, but was relieved of those duties just two months later in September.

Rosenior then took over the reins at his former club Hull City, and in his first full season as manager, he helped the Tigers finish seventh in the EFL Championship with 19 wins, 13 draws and 14 losses.

This saw the BlueCo club snatch him up to replace Patrick Vieira as manager of Ligue 1 side Strasbourg after a 13th place finish.

In his first season, he would take them up the table to seventh, and helped them qualify for the Conference League.

Now, Rosenior lands his first Premier League and Champions League job at Chelsea, who are currently fifth in the top-flight.

He is set to be in charge for their FA Cup clash at Charlton on Saturday.