Chelsea has announced Liam Rosenior as their new head coach, signing him to a six-and-a-half-year contract.
Rosenior joins from Strasbourg, with a contract lasting until 2032. He said, “Being named Chelsea Football Club’s head coach is a deep honor and a humbling experience.” Rosenior will manage Saturday’s FA Cup third-round match against Charlton Athletic.
The referee for the Fulham Premier League game on Wednesday, Callum McFarlane, officiated the Sunday Manchester City draw, while Rosenior will be watching from the stands.
McFarlane said before the game that fans should anticipate “aggressive, front-foot football.
“I spoke to Liam briefly last night,” McFarlane said on Tuesday. “He’s really excited about taking the role.
“I’ve been told I’m leading the game tomorrow, to try and do the best job as we can and give him the three points to move on and build from.
“I really enjoy watching his sides,” added McFarlane, who observed Rosenior’s Hull team while coaching the U21s at Southampton. “Aggressive, front-foot football, really good on the ball, good positional-play concepts. Really excited to see the work he’s going to do at this club.”
Rosenior stated he was prepared for the job and would be moving to Stamford Bridge.
The former Hull manager stated he was allowed to negotiate with a major club.
“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,” the 41-year-old said.
Rosenior’s playing career spanned 16 years and included Bristol City, Fulham, Reading, Hull City, and Brighton.
Following retirement in 2018, Rosenior nearly led Hull to the 2024 Championship play-offs before coaching Strasbourg, a team owned by BlueCo. Last season, the French club finished seventh in Ligue 1.
Even with limited experience at a major club and fewer than 100 matches coached, the new manager felt ready.
“I’m incredibly excited about the future. I’ve worked toward being a coach my entire life, and now I have this opportunity at a world-class football club, which is what I’ve always dreamed of,” he explained.
“With that, there is a mixed emotion of sadness about what I am leaving behind. This is the last day I wake up as Strasbourg manager.
“I hope the fans here can understand that. I am looking forward to the challenge; if I didn’t think I was ready, I wouldn’t have accepted it.
“The reality is, Strasbourg is not on the level of Chelsea. There are certain clubs you just cannot turn down. I hope the fans can see that.”
It is understood that former boss Enzo Maresca departed his position on January 1 because he felt it was untenable, and Chelsea was also considering firing the head coach.
