01/06/26 05:18:00
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01/06 05:16 CST Chelsea gives new manager Liam Rosenior a six-year contract
Chelsea gives new manager Liam Rosenior a six-year contract
By SAMUEL PETREQUIN and JAMES ELLINGWORTH
LONDON (AP) --- Chelsea confirmed the hiring of new manager Liam Rosenior on a
six-year contract after he left French club Strasbourg on Tuesday.
The attack-minded Rosenior becomes the second Black Chelsea coach after Ruud
Gullit, and signed to 2032.
Rosenior has been praised for turning Strasbourg, which is part of the same
ownership group as Chelsea, into a force in Ligue 1 after a seventh-place
finish last season that secured European football.
"Liam has shown that he can build teams with a clear way of playing while
setting the highest standards with players on and off the pitch. While there
will continue to be a focus on player development, the club's expectations and
ambitions remain high," Chelsea said.
Rosenior's previous jobs include a stint as assistant coach at Derby to Wayne
Rooney, who praised his "incredible" work ethic and attention to detail.
The 41-year-old Rosenior has never managed a Premier League club. Chelsea last
week parted company with Enzo Maresca, who spent 18 months in charge.
Moving to Chelsea will bring much more visibility and pressure for Rosenior.
The fifth permanent coach since BlueCo ownership took over in 2022, Rosenior
will inherit a team which is capable of high-level success but has lacked
consistency. Chelsea is fifth in the league with a 17-point gap to leader
Arsenal.
"I am excited to work with this extremely talented group of players and staff,
to build strong connections on and off the pitch, and to create an environment
where everyone feels united and driven by the same goal," he said.
Getting the Chelsea job is a rare top-level opportunity for a Black British
coach in the Premier League.
"This opportunity for me is something I can't turn down at this moment in my
life," Rosenior told a press conference in Strasbourg, adding that the
perspective of being reunited with his family added an extra incentive.
"It means that I can go home and see my kids. I'm away from my children, I
missed them. And I wanted to make the sacrifice of not seeing them worth it,
with the success that we have here."
Son of former player and coach Leroy Rosenior, Liam played in the Premier
League as a full back for Fulham, Reading, Hull and Brighton over the course of
a 16-year professional career, as well as for England Under-21s.
He returned to Hull for his first head coach role in 2022 and joined Strasbourg
two years later. He leaves the club with his team in seventh place in the
French league and qualified for the knockout phase of the UEFA Conference
League.
"I don't think anyone can question how hard I've worked for the club, my
integrity in the way I've worked for this club," he said. "I don't think anyone
can question the decision I've made to move on with my career."
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Ellingworth reported from Dsseldorf, Germany.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
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