appoint

Rosenior, a right-back, had a solid but unspectacular career as a player – featuring in the top flight for Fulham, Reading, Hull and Brighton.

Roughly half his career was spent in the EFL and that’s where he started his coaching career.

After a spell as Brighton‘s under-23s coach, he spent three years at Derby.

He was first-team coach under Phillip Cocu and then assistant boss to Wayne Rooney – before taking over as interim boss after Rooney’s departure.

But he was more hands-on than the average assistant.

“There was an argument when Mel Morris sacked Phillip Cocu in November 2020, Rosenior should have been put in charge, not Rooney,” said BBC football news reporter Simon Stone.

“Rooney had the profile of course, but it was Rosenior who put the sessions on at Derby and who guided the team during games.

“Rosenior replaced Rooney for a short time in 2022, after administration had led to relegation into League One.

“It was Rosenior who put Derby back together, helping to bring in 14 new players after the club had been left with only five under contract.

“History suggests the new ownership would have been better leaving Rosenior in charge, given they were seventh when he left and under his replacement, Paul Warne, they didn’t even end with a play-off place.”

He then spent almost two years as Hull manager – with observers again thinking he was harshly done by at the end.

The Tigers were one point above the relegation zone when he took over in November 2022 and led them to 15th.

The following season they finished three points off the play-off places, and Rosenior was sacked.

In 2024-25 while Rosenior was leading Strasbourg into Europe, Hull City avoided relegation from the Championship on goal difference.

Emma Sanders

BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

London City Lionesses wanted a coach who could help develop and consistently deliver a unique style of football.

They have been influenced by Spanish football and its success, as well as the full-throttle style which has helped deliver eight Women’s Champions League titles at Lyon – one of the clubs also owned by wealthy businesswoman Michele Kang.

A shortlist of coaches was drawn up when they decided to replace former manager Jocelyn Precheur and they did not rule out some from the men’s game.

The main criteria was centred around the playing style, the coach’s ability to collaborate with a wider team of expertise and to have a track record of developing players and talented youth.

Maestre showed his potential with Spanish clubs CD Tenerife and Real Sociedad and London City believe he can become a future leading figure in the game

Led by chief executive officer Martin Semmens, London City have been working on a long-term project to achieve their aims of reaching European competition by 2026.

That is an ambitious target for a club only promoted to the WSL for the first time this season and their decision to replace Precheur with Maestre may have been premature but they were willing to take the risk and will be judged on that with intrigue.