BLUES BROTHER
While Football Daily spent most of New Year’s Day shivering, sweating and staring at hallucinatory rodents while questioning the wisdom of embarking on our first Dry January since 1989, it didn’t escape our blurred vision that Chelsea chose to ring in 2026 by firing Enzo Maresca. While he may have grown up the son of a humble Italian fisherman, the head coach had gotten a little too big for his waders, eventually being tossed into an ocean of opaque criticism he had levelled at unspecified members of the club hierarchy. Like a frail old man bobbing around the Tyrrhenian Sea while trying to reel in a 500lb bluefin tuna with a spool of dental floss, Maresca had picked a battle he was always going to lose – and on Tuesday Chelsea unveiled the Italian’s replacement.
In a quaint callback to their former habit of selling hotels and women’s football teams they already own to themselves, the club’s owners BlueCo confirmed they had lured Liam Rosenior to Stamford Bridge from Strasbourg who, as luck would have it, are also owned by BlueCo. The 41-year-old has signed a contract until 2032, or until his sort-of-new employers discover he used to be an intelligent, opinionated and socially aware Big Website columnist who might not be the kind of malleable Yes Man they require for the spreadsheet to function.
“This is a club with a unique spirit and a proud history of winning trophies,” parped Rosenior. “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. To be entrusted with this role means the world to me and I want to thank all involved for the opportunity and faith in undertaking this job.” In his final press conference as Strasbourg’s gaffer, Rosenior told reporters that the Ligue 1 club – currently sitting seventh – will always have a place in his heart but insisted “I could not turn down Chelsea”. While the Alsatian faithful are unlikely to begrudge a young coach his step up the ladder, they are understandably weary of their club’s undignified status as a glorified feeder team to be plundered at will by their senior partners in London.
“Liam Rosenior’s transfer marks yet another humiliating step in Racing’s subjugation to Chelsea,” fumed a statement from the Federation Supporters RCS, who have long been railing against multi-club ownership. “For two-and-a-half years we and others have been trying to raise the alarm about this. The problem goes far beyond the sporting impact mid-season and the ambitions of a young coach. It is structural; the future of French club football is at stake.” While Strasbourg fans have recently become renowned for their 15-minute silent protests, this latest bit of BlueCo “collaboration” may finally turn that silence into a cacophony of justified fury.
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QUOTE OF THE DAY
“It’s a blessing to have these relationships. To see them not just for what everybody else sees: a centre-back, a striker for Wolves. These guys are like family to me. I’m lucky to get to see this side of them, to be there when things are good, when things are bad. We’re not just players and staff here. It’s something more” – Sam Dalling goes behind the scenes with the Wolves kitman Sean Ruiz.
FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS
So Chelsea are so confident that Liam Rosenior is the answer that they have given him a contract until 2032. Odds on him still being there in six years’ time? There’s more chance of Accrington Stanley winning the FA Cup (and they got knocked out in the first round). Are football club owners mad or just desperate?” – John Myles.
It’s quite sad to see Thomas Frank under increasing pressure at Spurs (for not solving all the problems that have dogged them for the last 40 years at a club that finished 17th last season, one place above relegation). Still, the one thing that should help him in this challenging period is that there isn’t anyone available with extensive experience of being an interim manager at Spurs. Oh. Meanwhile, Martin O’Neill returning as Celtic manager (now they don’t have to play Hearts again obviously), after spending only 37 days as interim and yet somehow outlasting the subsequent full-time manager, is both utterly predictable and yet simultaneously farcical. The skeleton of Jock Stein must be roaming the Scottish countryside in search of a pair of eyeballs to roll …” – Noble Francis.
As we emerge into the sunlit uplands of 2026, can any of us honestly say that we had a 3-0 Wolves win, Chelsea, Celtic and Manchester United managerial exits, plus the audacious midnight capturing of a sitting South American president by the winner of Fifa’s peace prize on our festive bingo cards? Thought not. Happy new year! We’re off to a flyer!” – Allastair McGillivray.
If you have any, please send letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s winner of our prizeless letter o’ the day is … Noble Francis. Terms and conditions for our competitions, when we have them, are here.
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