Chelsea have sacked head coach Liam Rosenior after just 106 days in charge, following a dire run of form that saw the team lose five successive league matches without scoring for the first time since 1912. The 41-year-old, who signed a six-and-a-half-year deal in January, leaves the club seventh in the Premier League, seven points adrift of the Champions League places and at risk of missing out on European football entirely.
The decision was taken after a debrief at the club’s training ground, where Rosenior offered his thoughts on turning the season around, but the board concluded that a change was necessary. The final straw came after a 3-0 defeat to Brighton on Tuesday, after which Rosenior publicly criticised his players’ attitude. The disconnect between the coaching staff and the squad had become impossible to ignore, with several senior players pushing for change.
Calum McFarlane, who served as interim after Enzo Maresca’s departure earlier this season, returns as caretaker head coach for the remainder of the campaign. Chelsea will begin a search for a permanent manager in the summer, with candidates including Como’s Cesc Fàbregas, Porto’s Francesco Farioli, Xabi Alonso, and Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola, who will be available when his contract expires. The club is understood to admire top-level experience and expects to consider between five and ten candidates.
Rosenior’s relationship with the dressing room deteriorated, particularly among Spanish-speaking players, after he dropped Enzo Fernández for two games following a series of rebellious interviews. The £106.7m midfielder is a major figure in the squad, and the situation created significant noise. Rosenior also lacked the CV to command respect from expensive internationals, and indiscipline has plagued the side – Chelsea have received 16 yellow cards for dissent in the league and ten red cards in all competitions this season.
Supporters have protested against the ownership and the club’s recruitment model, which has focused on young players. Chelsea plan to adjust their approach this summer by targeting more established Premier League talent. The club’s five sporting directors – Paul Winstanley, Laurence Stewart, Sam Jewell, Joe Shields and Dave Fallows – retain backing. Chelsea face Leeds in an FA Cup semi-final on Sunday, with McFarlane in charge.
