Video footage of Liam Rosenior delivering a passionate team talk has re-emerged online, as the 41-year-old becomes the frontrunner to take the Chelsea hot seat. This follows the sudden departure of manager Enzo Maresca from Stamford Bridge on New Year's Day.
Maresca's Shock Exit and Rosenior's Emergence
The search for a new Chelsea boss began abruptly on Thursday, 2nd January 2025, when the club confirmed Enzo Maresca's exit in a concise 99-word statement. Reports had surfaced just hours earlier on New Year's Eve, suggesting the Italian's tenure was ending after a turbulent close to the year.
According to Daily Mail Sport, Chelsea aim to appoint a successor within days. The leading candidate on their compact shortlist is former Hull City and Brighton defender Liam Rosenior, currently the bookmakers' favourite for the role.
The Resurfaced Video and Fan Reaction
Eager for insight into their potential new manager, Chelsea supporters unearthed a video on social media on New Year's Day. The clip, originally shared to platform X in September 2024, shows Rosenior addressing his players at his current club, RC Strasbourg.
In the footage, Rosenior speaks forcefully in English while an interpreter translates into French for the Ligue 1 squad. He implores his team to show fight, saying: "What are we going to do? Are we going to come back to 2-2 after we started the game badly and just take a 2-2? Or even lose the game 3-2? Or are we going to show some f***ing balls and win the game?"
He continues, "What needs to happen then, is when we're defending every f***er on the pitch has to defend. Every player has to defend! And when the subs come on, you have to give even more energy to win this game."
However, the speech drew mixed reviews from some Chelsea fans online:
- One commented, "New Chelsea manager? I just can't stop laughing."
- Another added, "No charisma at all. What player is gonna fight for this guy?"
- A third criticised, "Another inexperienced coach," while a fourth claimed Rosenior is "the king of misprofiling players."
Rosenior's Coaching Journey
Rosenior's path to management began at Brighton & Hove Albion, where he served as an assistant coach with the U23s while also working as a pundit for Sky Sports. His career progressed in 2019 with a move to Derby County as a specialist first-team coach.
Following Wayne Rooney's resignation in 2022, Rosenior briefly took over as Derby's interim manager. His big break came in November 2022 when he was appointed Hull City boss. His impressive work at the MKM Stadium earned him the EFL Championship Manager of the Season award for the 2023-24 campaign.
Despite narrowly missing the playoffs the following season, his sacking by Hull shocked many observers. Since July 2024, he has been in charge at Strasbourg, who currently sit seventh in Ligue 1 after qualifying for the Conference League last season.
Chelsea's hierarchy now faces a critical decision, with Rosenior's passionate, no-nonsense approach now under intense scrutiny from the Stamford Bridge faithful.
