There’s a reason the main stand of the Meinau stays silent for the first 15 minutes of every Strasbourg home game, as has been the case since 2023. It’s an objection to their state of affairs; not on the pitch, but in the boardroom. Under the multi-club ownership model of BlueCo, a vocal portion of the Strasbourg fanbase feel their role as the “pawn” in Chelsea’s big game of chess has been stripping them of their identity. They’ve now been stripped of their manager.
Liam Rosenior is the latest Strasbourg casualty to cross the bridge to Chelsea. He follows – or precedes – Strasbourg captain Emanuel Emegha, whose move this summer was confirmed back in September, to the wrath of those in Alsace. The spokesperson for Strasbourg’s four main supporter groups told The Independent in October that there was an expectation that Rosenior “sees himself somewhere in England in one or two years”. But not now, and not like this. In snatching their sister club’s manager mid-season, Chelsea have taken their big-brothering of Strasbourg to a new level.
Rosenior, the individual, tried his best to leave the French club on good terms. The 41-year-old held a remarkable press conference at the Meinau, which he called home, before looking people in the eye and explaining his decisions to move on. “The last 18 months have been a joy and the best of my professional career,” he said. “I have met some incredible people and created some incredible memories and made history. I will love this club for the rest of my life, but I cannot turn down Chelsea.” Less than two hours later, he was confirmed as Blues boss.
While club loyalties may dictate sentiment, the neutral can harbour no ill-will towards Rosenior for taking the role at Stamford Bridge. He has played the cards that he’s been dealt. Those cards signal a seismic opportunity, but at a huge risk. Do not be fooled by the six-year contract. Chelsea does not offer job security – no manager has lasted longer than 18 months under Todd Boehly – nor does it often give much room for a grace period. Rosenior will need to hit the ground running to prevent this latest instance of Strasbourg exploitation from going to the dogs.
As with any job, results will be pivotal. Enzo Maresca left Chelsea with the club on a run of just one Premier League win in seven outings, and top of Rosenior’s in-tray will be to turn their form around. The Blues are well out of the title race, currently 17 points off leaders Arsenal, but remain just three points adrift of fourth-placed Liverpool.
If the former Hull and Derby coach’s first six months culminate with Champions League qualification, that should probably be classed as an unadulterated success given the circumstances. But as has been the case since Roman Abramovich’s 2003 takeover, silverware is what really moves the needle in the boardroom. Chelsea are in the semi-final of the Carabao Cup – with a two-legged tie against Arsenal to come – and begin their FA Cup campaign on the weekend.
For Rosenior, the trophy clock will already be ticking, and he knows it. “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,” he says.
Form and trajectory were not the only contributors to Maresca’s sacking, of course. The Italian’s future at Stamford Bridge had grown bleak after expressing his dissatisfaction with the Chelsea hierarchy publicly, with his dismissal coming just 19 days after saying he’d endured his “worst 48 hours” at the club because “many people didn’t support me and the team”. Speaking out against your bosses, as Ruben Amorim has discovered of late, more often than not leads to one emphatic consequence.
Maresca was prone to wearing his heart on his sleeve – a delight for the media, less so for the upper brass. A departure from such a volatile character would have been desired, and Rosenior had already been vetted. His experience with BlueCo, staying loyal to them and Strasbourg president Marc Keller amid growing fan backlash against the hierarchy, was no doubt integral to his appointment.
Rosenior will already be aware of the power dynamics at Stamford Bridge, such as that involving player recruitment, which is largely in the hands of the team’s five sporting directors. But Rosenior’s exploit of fielding the youngest starting XI in the history of Europe’s top five leagues at Strasbourg, boasting an average age of 20.4, illustrates his vision aligns with Chelsea’s on the development of young stars. Appeasing the ownership is a must for any Chelsea manager under the current regime, and Rosenior seems to be arriving with the playbook on how to do just that.
The 41-year-old nevertheless touches down at Cobham with a mish-mash squad to make something of. Maresca’s downfall arguably began with questionable selection and substitution choices, the managing of minutes for the club’s wingers garnering particular scrutiny. Estevao has been among Chelsea’s most dangerous attacking players this term; while it’s crucial he isn’t overexposed at the tender age of 18, the fact that Maresca gave him an hour’s game time in just four Premier League outings raised questions.
Chelsea’s gung-ho transfer strategy will also be something to contend with, dealing with the sheer scale of turnover that has become part and parcel during summers at Stamford Bridge. Emegha, who arrives in July, may prove an early litmus test for this, with Rosenior likely to have a keen interest in nurturing his now-former captain in the first team. The Dutchman, who has scored 55 goals across the past two Ligue 1 seasons, could have easily become just another fringe player under Maresca or any other manager.
Rosenior finds himself in a tantalising yet perilous position and will be praying that this opportunity hasn’t come too soon. Graham Potter will attest to the damage that can do; Frank Lampard also. But while anticipation swirls at the Bridge, the Meinau falls flat. Banners will be unfurled. A Strasbourg civil war continues.
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