Liam Rosenior will bring three coaches with him to Chelsea from Strasbourg after being confirmed as Enzo Maresca’s replacement.
Maresca departed Stamford Bridge in a shock move on New Year’s Day, after spending 18 months in charge. The Italian won the Conference League and Club World Cup during his time at Chelsea, but disagreements with the club’s hierarchy led to his downfall.
Chelsea’s BlueCo ownership has moved quickly to appoint Rosenior from Strasbourg, the French club which is also owned by the American group.
He will bring with him coaches Kalifa Cisse and Justin Walker, while Ben Warner, head of analysis, is also set to link up with the new backroom team at Cobham.
Cisse, a former Mali international who played for Reading alongside Rosenior, was first-team coach at Strasbourg and also helped as a translator for the English manager.
“He’s not just a translator,” Rosenior said of Cisse during his unveiling. “He’s an unbelievable guy. Without Kalifa... honestly as a person, I’ve never met anyone with such extreme values and emotional intelligence. He’s been fantastic for me, he’s my manager. Sadly for Strasbourg and for the players, I will be taking Kalifa with me on the next phase.”
Walker was Rosenior’s assistant manager and the pair previously worked together at Hull City – where Warner was an analyst.
Warner is only 32 and has made swift progress in football after beginning his career at Nottingham Forest while studying for a Masters degree at Nottingham Trent University. He spent seven years at Derby, where he worked with Rosenior before making the switch to Hull, and then Strasbourg.
Their immediate task will be to turn around Chelsea’s form after a run of just one win in eight Premier League games. Rosenior is likely to watch from the stands at Craven Cottage on Wednesday as Chelsea visit London rivals Fulham, with under-21s coach Calum McFarlane taking charge of the team.
Rosenior’s first game in charge will be Saturday’s FA Cup trip away to Charlton Athletic.
Chelsea were third in the standings in November and were being tipped as title contenders, but have since slipped to fifth and now sit 17 points behind leaders Arsenal after 20 matches.
Rosenior will be tasked with steadying the ship and getting the best out of an expensively assembled squad full of international household names — a contrast to his time at Strasbourg, where he worked with a largely unsung group of players.
“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 said. “To be entrusted with this role means the world to me, and I want to thank everyone involved for the opportunity and faith they have shown in me.”
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