Rosenior

Gary O’Neil has been appointed Strasbourg manager after Liam Rosenior left the French Ligue 1 side to join Chelsea earlier this week.

The 42-year-old, who has previously managed Premier League sides Bournemouth and Wolves, said he is “proud” to join a club with a “high-quality squad and clear, ambitious goals for the season”.

The former Portsmouth, Middlesbrough and QPR midfielder added: “Racing has a unique history, extraordinary passion, great resilience, and of course, loyal fans who want to see this team play attractive football and succeed.

“My priority is to work hard with the team and give everything for the club’s success.”

Strasbourg, who sit seventh in Ligue 1, moved swiftly to appoint O’Neil after Rosenior joined Chelsea on a six-and-a-half-year deal on Tuesday.

The French side are part of the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital-owned BlueCo multi-club ownership group which also controls Chelsea.

Leroy Rosenior, Liam’s father, played for the likes of Fulham, West Ham and Queens Park Rangers, and his managerial career peaked with a five-month stint at then-League One side Brentford in 2006.

In 2019 he was awarded an MBE in the 2019 New Year Honours for his services to tackling discrimination in football and wider society.

When Rosenior Jr retired from playing he followed his father’s footsteps. He began writing a column for The Guardian, where in 2017 he acknowledged the under-representation of black coaches. He highlighted that race does not influence ability and said opportunities should be given on merit.

He also made a point he would repeat: that vast under-representation leads to misunderstandings of players from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

In a podcast with The Athletic FC, Rosenior highlighted how his star striker, Emmanuel Emegha, was labelled “difficult” and “emotional”, but said he understood the Netherlands international with Nigerian parentage. Emegha is set to join him in moving from Strasbourg to Chelsea in July.

In further Guardian columns, Rosenior also admitted he was “ashamed” to hear an unnamed coach make a homophobic slur when he was a player. He pledged his support for the Premier League’s Rainbow Laces campaign and wrote an open letter to Donald Trump during his first US presidency, accusing him of “blatant” racism.

Rosenior has since made his name as a manager – first at Hull City, then Strasbourg – and Wayne Rooney said this week he was “as good a coach as I’ve ever worked with” following their time together at Derby County.

Rosenior said his farewells at Strasbourg on Tuesday morning before signing a six‑and‑a‑half‑year contract at Chelsea.

The Blues had the Premier League’s first black manager in Gullit and the first black captain in Paul Elliott.

Elliott has since worked in multiple senior positions, including the FA’s diversity and inclusion board, and is now the vice-chairman at Charlton Athletic – who Chelsea play in the FA Cup third round on Sunday.

“Liam, in my opinion, represents everything that was right about the 21st century,” Elliott said.

“He has been an outstanding player, very articulate, hugely intelligent, and you can see that whatever he did – whether as a manager or technical director – he was really cognizant of the game.

“Whatever he did, I knew he would be a success. His passion was to forge a career in football management. He speaks in a way I hadn’t heard from many people – you felt you were learning.

“It sends out a strong, positive message to current and future generations – that people of colour who look like Liam can go to the very top and be at the cutting edge of football management.

“But let’s not forget – he’s there on merit. He’s there on talent.”

There is pressure on Chelsea to get this appointment right, with some supporters chanting the name of former owner Roman Abramovich during Sunday’s draw at Manchester City and a fringe group of fans planning a protest against the owners before the next home Premier League match against Brentford.

It is against that backdrop they have turned to a man who is well known to key figures at Stamford Bridge.

Rosenior first met Chelsea‘s co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart more than 15 years ago while playing for Brighton.

And Sam Jewell – Chelsea‘s director of global recruitment – worked closely with Rosenior when he began coaching Brighton Under-23s after retiring.

Rosenior also knew Stewart during his time as an analyst at Hull, where he played and later managed.

Last summer, during the Club World Cup, he travelled to the United States with Strasbourg president Marc Keller to meet Chelsea‘s leadership, and owners Behdad Eghbali and Todd Boehly have made regular visits to the French club.

He has always been seen as a potential successor to Maresca, but a mid-season change was not planned. Chelsea hoped Rosenior could continue to build experience at Strasbourg, but Maresca’s comments at the end of last year forced the owners into a change.

They see their new man, who favours a similar possession-based style, as the most seamless option.

Sources close to Rosenior also believe he has a more empathetic tone of communication – drawing on lessons from his mother Karen, who is a social worker.

He will face scrutiny over his perceived rawness, but Chelsea will point to the fact he has more experience than Maresca when the Italian was appointed in 2024.

Maresca had won the Championship, of course, while Rosenior has yet to lift a trophy – but the incoming coach has managed 153 senior games at Hull and Strasbourg compared with his predecessor’s 67. Maresca was also Pep Guardiola’s assistant during Manchester City‘s Treble-winning season of 2022-23.

There is also the issue of Rosenior coming to Chelsea on a bad run of form, having won none of his past five Ligue 1 matches, just two in 10, and having dropped 13 points from winning positions this season.

French football expert Julien Laurens told BBC Radio 5 Live: “I really believe the owners put him in the Strasbourg job to get him ready for the Chelsea job one day.

“I think if he showed he could be capable at Strasbourg, which is taking a team which was almost going down into Europe – to taking it close to Champions League qualification, which is what he did last season.

“I think that showed his potential. It showed his development, showed his ability to improve the team and players individually.”

Liam Rosenior says he could not turn down Chelsea but admits unusual situation as a deal has not yet been signed.

Racing Strasbourg coach Liam Rosenior says he has reached an agreement with Chelsea to become their next manager but has yet to sign a contract with the Premier League club.

“I ‍haven’t signed yet. I have agreed verbally with Chelsea. It’s really important – this is different to anything anyone has ever done. Nobody has made a statement before they have signed a contract,” ‍Rosenior said at a ⁠news conference on Tuesday.

“Everything is agreed, and it will probably go through in the next few hours,” he said in Strasbourg, France. “I’m here because I care about this club and I felt it was right to answer your questions physically here today before I move on.”

Rosenior added that he would take his ⁠assistants Kalifa Cisse and Justin Walker with him to the Premier League club.

The 41-year-old, who joined Ligue 1 side Racing Strasbourg in 2024, said his time at the club had been the most rewarding period of ​his career after spells at Derby County and Hull City.

“The ‌last 18 months have been a joy and the best of my professional career,” Rosenior said. “I have met some incredible people, created incredible memories and made history.”

He said he had been transparent with Strasbourg’s ‌ownership about outside interest.

“I have had interest from many clubs, including Champions League clubs, which I have always been open ‌with to our president, Marc Keller, and our ownership,” ⁠Rosenior said. “I will love this club for the rest of my life, but I cannot turn down Chelsea.”

Little-known Rosenior had been widely touted as the front runner to succeed Enzo Maresca since the Italian was sacked on Thursday, not least because Strasbourg and Chelsea are owned by the same consortium, BlueCo.

Rosenior, who has no Premier League coaching experience, will become Chelsea’s fourth permanent boss since BlueCo took control of the Londoners in 2022.

Chelsea has yet to confirm the appointment but held talks with Rosenior in London on Monday.

Liam Rosenior has flown to London to finalise his expected appointment as Chelsea head coach.

As BBC Sport reported on Thursday, Strasbourg boss Rosenior is the leading candidate to replace Enzo Maresca, who has left Stamford Bridge.

Talks to appoint Rosenior are at an advanced stage, and the 41-year-old is in the capital to complete formalities before he is named as Maresca’s successor.

BlueCo – the investment vehicle set up to purchase Chelsea in 2022 – has started the process of identifying candidates to replace Rosenior at sister club Strasbourg.

Chelsea caretaker manager Calum McFarlane says “there’s a chance” the new boss will be in place on Monday.

The under-21s coach stepped in after Maresca parted company with Chelsea following disagreements with leadership figures at the club.

McFarlane’s Chelsea drew 1-1 away at title challengers Manchester City on Sunday thanks to an equaliser in the closing moments from midfielder Enzo Fernandez.

Speaking after the match, McFarlane said: “When I first took the job, I was told I would take the Manchester City game. So that was three days with the group.

“There’s a chance the new manager will be in on Monday – that’s what I was told originally.

“Obviously, it’s Sunday now. We’ve been solely focused on the game. I’m sure I’ll get more information once I’m out of this press conference. But as far as I know, the new manager will be in shortly and I’ll lead the team until he’s in.”

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.

Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior is the leading contender for the Chelsea job vacated by Enzo Maresca.

Former Leicester boss Maresca, 45, left his role as Chelsea head coach on Thursday amid internal tensions with the club’s hierarchy and ownership.

The process to replace the Italian is under way, and it is understood Englishman Rosenior is the frontrunner, though sources have stressed other candidates are also under consideration.

Rosenior’s current employers are owned by investment vehicle BlueCo – the consortium set up to purchase Chelsea in 2022.

The 41-year-old, who previously managed Hull, has significant backing internally at Chelsea and it is understood candidates to replace him at Strasbourg are being considered because of his possible departure.

Porto’s Francesco Farioli has also been mooted as a potential contender.

Before appointing Maresca in 2024, Chelsea interviewed Marseille manager Roberto de Zerbi, Ipswich counterpart Kieran McKenna, and Thomas Frank, who was then at Brentford but has since moved to Tottenham.

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola and Fulham‘s Marco Silva have also been linked with the role in the past, though it is unclear if they are now contenders.

The club will not change their style of play, so it is highly unlikely they would move for Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner.

It is not yet clear who will lead the side for Sunday’s match against Manchester City, though under-21s head coach Calum McFarlane will take on media duties for a news conference to preview the game on Friday.

A social media post from goalkeeper Robert Sanchez indicated that Maresca’s backroom team have also departed the club.