Tag: Liam Rosenior

Liam Rosenior on Monday demanded an improvement in discipline from his Chelsea players after Pedro Neto became their ninth player to be sent off this season, threatening to drop players who do not show greater control.

Sunday’s 2-1 loss to Premier League leaders Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium means Chelsea have won just two of their past six matches in all competitions.

They are sixth in the Premier League table ahead of Wednesday’s match at fourth-placed Aston Villa, three points behind Liverpool in the battle for Champions League football next season.

Ill-discipline has been costly for Chelsea this season, with Neto the seventh Stamford Bridge player to be shown a red card in the Premier League.

Chelsea boss Rosenior, who replaced Enzo Maresca in the hot seat in January, said Neto had apologised to his teammates after he was dismissed in the 70th minute.

“My job is to create a culture of accountability, where if you make a mistake, it’s OK, you hold your hands up and you make sure it doesn’t happen again,” said the English manager.

“But you have to hold your hands up to the original mistake. If I make the wrong team selection, or I get something wrong, my job is to be accountable, and it’s the same for my players in that moment.”

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Rosenior said Portugal winger Pedro, who will miss this week’s match at Villa Park, had apologised to his teammates.

“I just need to see an improvement in the behaviour now,” he said.

“And it’s not just Pedro. We’ve had bookings. People speak about dissent. We’ve had needless bookings in terms of fouls. If we are to improve and get to where we want to be, we have to make a conscious step now to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

The Chelsea boss said there were different approaches to tackling the issue.

“Sometimes it’s not a stick, it’s showing what the value of not having a red card is,” he said. “If you look at our stats, when we have 11 men on the pitch, before my job here and after my job here, our percentage chance of winning goes through the roof.

“So that needs to be motivation in itself, to make sure we stay disciplined in key moments, reacting to setbacks. Sometimes a setback is giving the ball away, sometimes a setback is a referee making a decision you disagree with.

“In that moment you have to react positively and you have to think of the next thing. Those are the things we have to go after in order for our discipline to improve.”

Rosenior added: “You pick players who are showing that improvement. I can’t afford to go through a season every two games or every three games with a red card, it’s just not possible.

“So I need to see improvement in that and I need to adjust my team selection based on who’s showing those capabilities.”

READ: Slot makes candid admission about Premier League

Liam Rosenior said that his challenge is to carry Chelsea to the “next level” as he prepares to take charge of the Blues for the first time on Saturday.

The 41-year-old has been parachuted into one of the most high-pressure jobs in English football after a successful spell at Strasbourg, who are also run by Chelsea’s owners, BlueCo.

Enzo Maresca left Stamford Bridge on January 1 despite winning two trophies — the Club World Cup and Europa Conference League — during his first season in charge.

But Chelsea have won just one of their past nine Premier League games to slip to eighth in the table and the pressure is on Rosenior to secure Champions League qualification next season via a top-four finish.

“The talent levels I have seen over the last few days — the ability levels are world class,” Rosenior said on the eve of Chelsea’s FA Cup trip to second-tier Charlton.

“The previous coach Enzo has done a good job tactically and it is my job to take it to the next level, and me and my staff are going to work very hard to do that.

“If you are scared or fearful, there is no point being a coach. I am going to work 24 hours a day. I am going to push them to try and be successful.”

Rosenior watched from the stands as Chelsea lost 2-1 at west London neighbours Fulham on Wednesday.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

There were banners and chants amongst the visiting fans at Craven Cottage, lashing out at BlueCo’s running of the club.

Maresca became the fourth permanent manager to depart the club in three and a half years since the American-backed consortium took control of Chelsea.

Rosenior rejected suggestions, though, that he has been hired to toe the line of his superiors.

“I don’t think it is possible to be in this job and not be your own man,” he said.

“I understand, I am not an alien and I know what is being said in the press, but there is no way you can be a manager if you don’t make the decisions for yourself.

“We have had huge success at Strasbourg and I intend to work the same way here.”

Under BlueCo, Chelsea’s model has focused on hoovering up young talent from around the globe.

But amongst Maresca’s complaints was a lack of experience that resulted in inconsistent performances.

Rosenior said that he is confident that the approach can succeed from his time at Strasbourg.

“A club of this stature, the fans want success and they have every right to want success now. My job, to win over the fans, I have to win football games,” he said.

“We’re trying to build things here in a different way. I’m very confident that in time we will show everyone why we have done it in this way.”

READ: Ireland reveal squad for ICC T20 World Cup 2026

Chelsea confirmed on Tuesday that the little-known Liam Rosenior will be their new head coach on a six-year deal, replacing Enzo Maresca.

The 41-year-old said earlier Tuesday during a farewell press conference at Ligue 1 club Strasbourg that he had “verbally agreed” on the move to Stamford Bridge.

The move was rubber-stamped shortly afterwards.

“I am extremely humbled and honoured to be appointed head coach of Chelsea Football Club,” Rosenior said in a statement on Chelsea’s website.

“This is a club with a unique spirit and a proud history of winning trophies.

“My job is to protect that identity and create a team that reflects these values in every game we play as we continue winning trophies.”

Rosenior has just three years’ experience as a manager and has never coached in the Premier League.

He had been widely touted as the frontrunner to succeed Maresca since the Italian was sacked on Thursday.

Strasbourg and Chelsea are owned by the same consortium, BlueCo.

The former Hull City manager will become Chelsea’s fourth permanent boss since BlueCo took control of the Londoners in 2022.

Rosenior said he had wanted to announce the news himself in Strasbourg because of his deep feelings for the club.

“Everything is agreed, and it will probably go through in the next few hours,” he told reporters.

“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.”

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Liam Rosenior, whose father Leroy was also a player and then a manager, has never faced the kind of media glare that will await him in west London.

“I’m so excited about the future. I cannot lie. My whole life I’ve worked to be a coach,” he said.

“To be presented with this opportunity to manage a world-class football club is something I’ve always dreamed of.

“With that is a mixed emotion of sadness of what I’m leaving behind.”

Rosenior played in the Premier League and Championship. His clubs included Fulham, Reading and Hull City.

He worked as a coach at Derby under Phillip Cocu and Wayne Rooney.

He briefly replaced Rooney on an interim basis in 2022 and later that year took over as manager of Hull in the Championship, England’s second flight.

He was sacked after 18 months and in July 2024 was appointed by Strasbourg, who he guided to seventh place in Ligue 1 last season.

Maresca won the UEFA Conference League and Club World Cup during his first season at Stamford Bridge.

But tensions emerged in recent weeks and his reign came to an abrupt end on New Year’s Day.

Under-21s coach Calum McFarlane took charge of Chelsea for Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Manchester City.

They travel to London rivals Fulham on Wednesday.

READ: Visa concerns for Pakistan-origin players in India World Cup 2026