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01/06 08:11 CST Chelsea gives new manager Liam Rosenior a six-year contract
Chelsea gives new manager Liam Rosenior a six-year contract
By SAMUEL PETREQUIN and JAMES ELLINGWORTH
Associated Press
LONDON (AP) --- Chelsea appointed new manager Liam Rosenior on a six-year deal
on Tuesday, hours after his departure from French club Strasbourg amid fans'
unrest.
The attack-minded Rosenior, regarded as a strong developer of young players,
becomes the second Black Chelsea coach after Ruud Gullit, and was contracted to
2032.
Rosenior has been praised for turning Strasbourg, which is part of the same
ownership group as Chelsea, into a force in Ligue 1 after a seventh-place
finish last season that secured European football.
"Liam has shown that he can build teams with a clear way of playing while
setting the highest standards with players on and off the pitch. While there
will continue to be a focus on player development, the club's expectations and
ambitions remain high," Chelsea said.
Rosenior's previous jobs include a stint as assistant coach at Derby to Wayne
Rooney, who praised his "incredible" work ethic and attention to detail.
The 41-year-old Rosenior has never managed a Premier League club. Chelsea last
week parted company with Enzo Maresca, who spent 18 months in charge.
Moving to Chelsea will bring much more visibility and pressure for Rosenior.
The fifth permanent coach since BlueCo ownership took over in 2022, Rosenior
will inherit a team which is capable of high-level success but has lacked
consistency. Chelsea is fifth in the league with a 17-point gap to leader
Arsenal.
"I am excited to work with this extremely talented group of players and staff,
to build strong connections on and off the pitch, and to create an environment
where everyone feels united and driven by the same goal," he said.
Getting the Chelsea job is a rare top-level opportunity for a Black British
coach in the Premier League.
"This opportunity for me is something I can't turn down at this moment in my
life," Rosenior told a press conference in Strasbourg, adding that the
perspective of being reunited with his family was an extra incentive.
"It means that I can go home and see my kids. I'm away from my children, I
missed them. And I wanted to make the sacrifice of not seeing them worth it,
with the success that we have here."
Son of former player and coach Leroy Rosenior, Liam played in the Premier
League as a full back for Fulham, Reading, Hull and Brighton over the course of
a 16-year professional career, as well as for England Under-21s.
He returned to Hull for his first head coach role in 2022 and joined Strasbourg
two years later. After replacing Patrick Vieira, he oversaw a large-scale
rebuilding project that delivered quick results for a youthful squad, guiding
the development of players such as Joaqun Panichelli and Emmanuel Emegha.
Rosenior is expected to be reunited with Emegha later this year as Chelsea
reached an agreement with Strasbourg for the striker to join the club in the
summer.
Rosenior leaves with his team in seventh place in the French league and
qualified for the knockout phase of the UEFA Conference League.
Strasbourg diehard fans furious
His departure left Strasbourg fans opposed to the multi-club ownership model
fuming, amid calls for the the resignation of club president Marc Keller.
"The transfer of Liam Rosenior marks a further humiliating step in the
subordination of Racing to Chelsea," the Strasbourg supporters federation wrote
in a statement. "Every additional contortion by Marc Keller, every extra minute
he spends at the head of the club, is an insult to the remarkable work done
before 2023... He must leave. Now."
Strasbourg has been owned by Chelsea owner BlueCo since 2023, and its arrival
has been met by hostility by the club's diehard fans.
In September, Rosenior hit out at fans who displayed a banner criticizing
Emegha and urging him to return the captain's armband because of his move next
season to Chelsea. The partnership between the clubs was used several times
this summer, most notably when Chelsea sold England left back Ben Chilwell to
Strasbourg on a two-year deal.
"I don't think anyone can question how hard I've worked for the club, my
integrity in the way I've worked for this club," Rosenior said. "I don't think
anyone can question the decision I've made to move on with my career."
Chelsea interim coach Calum McFarlane will oversea Wednesday's trip to Fulham
in the Premier League before Rosenior starts working with the squad.
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Ellingworth reported from Dsseldorf, Germany.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
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