Chelsea Football Club have confirmed the appointment of Liam Rosenior as their new head coach, though the 41-year-old will not be in the dugout for the Blues' crucial Premier League encounter with Fulham on Wednesday night.
Interim Arrangements for West London Derby
The club announced Rosenior's move from French side Strasbourg on Tuesday, with the manager signing a substantial six-and-a-half-year contract. He finalised the deal at Chelsea's Cobham training base but will not take immediate charge of the first team.
Instead, U21 coach Calum McFarlane will continue his interim role for the trip to Craven Cottage. McFarlane has been overseeing the squad since Enzo Maresca's sudden departure on New Year's Day and steered the team to a 1-1 draw at Manchester City last Sunday.
"I've been told I am leading the game tomorrow," McFarlane stated in his pre-match press conference. "We will try to do the best job, as we have done, and give him the three points to take and then build on."
Rosenior's Timeline and Background
Although not managing, Rosenior is expected to be in attendance at Craven Cottage, a ground he knows well from his nearly four years as a Fulham player. His official reign will begin on Thursday when he leads his first training session.
This preparation will be for Chelsea's FA Cup third-round tie away at Charlton Athletic on Saturday. The club's decision to appoint Rosenior follows his impressive tenure at Strasbourg, another club owned by Chelsea's parent company BlueCo.
He guided Strasbourg to seventh place in Ligue 1 last season, with the club currently occupying the same position this campaign and having topped their Europa Conference League group.
Club Statement and Immediate Challenges
Upon his appointment, Rosenior expressed his commitment to the project at Stamford Bridge. "To be entrusted with this role means the world to me," he said. "I will give everything to bring the success this club deserves."
He added his excitement about working with a talented squad and building a united environment driven by a hunger to win.
Chelsea's immediate focus, however, remains on securing a vital victory against their local rivals. A poor recent run has seen them fall out of the top four, sitting three points behind Liverpool and level with Manchester United.
In a boost for the interim setup, McFarlane confirmed that Robert Sanchez, Wesley Fofana, and Marc Cucurella have returned to training, while Moises Caicedo is available again after suspension.
