Liam Rosenior, the articulate and ambitious 41-year-old manager of Strasbourg, has surprisingly emerged as the frontrunner to take the helm at Chelsea following Enzo Maresca's departure. This potential appointment marks a dramatic ascent for a figure who began the decade writing columns and is now poised for one of football's most pressurised jobs.
An Unconventional Path to the Top
Rosenior's route to management has been anything but ordinary. After a solid playing career with clubs like Fulham, Reading, and Brighton, he transitioned into coaching Brighton's under-23 side while building a profile in media punditry. He credits this dual experience with shaping his approach, alongside influences from NFL great Bill Belichick and, notably, Wayne Rooney.
Appointed as Rooney's assistant at Derby County in 2021, Rosenior took interim charge when Rooney was sacked in 2022. This stint convinced Hull City to appoint him as their permanent manager in November 2022. Despite guiding Hull to a respectable seventh-place finish in the 2023-24 Championship, narrowly missing the playoffs, his sacking shocked many. His successor only kept Hull up on goal difference, burnishing Rosenior's reputation.
Proving His Credentials in France
Rosenior's next move was a bold one: taking over at Strasbourg in Ligue 1 for the 2024-25 season. Despite not initially speaking French—he relies on assistant Kalifa Cissé as a translator while taking intensive lessons—he has impressed the club's ownership, BlueCo, with his intelligence and tactical insight. His work at Strasbourg is a key reason for Chelsea's interest, as he is already well-versed in the multi-club model.
Tactically, Rosenior employs a fluid system, often shifting from a 3-2-5 in possession to a 4-3-3 out of it, implementing a high press. This philosophy is not a drastic shift from Maresca's, meaning he could tweak the existing Chelsea squad rather than oversee a major overhaul. His familiarity with the squad is bolstered by having managed Andrey Santos on loan at Strasbourg and the impending arrival of Strasbourg striker Emmanuel Emegha at Chelsea next summer.
A Significant Appointment for Diversity
Should he get the job, Rosenior would become just the tenth permanent black manager in Premier League history, joining currently active Nuno Espírito Santo of West Ham. The son of former footballer and anti-racism campaigner Leroy Rosenior MBE, Liam is acutely aware of the importance of representation. A 2024 Black Footballers Partnership report highlighted that while 43% of Premier League players are black, only 4% of post-playing roles go to black former professionals.
Media-savvy, articulate, and ambitious—he has openly expressed a desire to manage England one day—Rosenior represents a modern, forward-thinking appointment for Chelsea. The board will also value his measured public persona, a contrast to the controversies that hastened Maresca's exit. Having gained his pro-licence at just 32 and grown up on the touchline with his father, management has, as he says, "always been in my blood." The relentless pressure of Stamford Bridge will now test that lifelong preparation.
