Liam Rosenior has been appointed as the new head coach of Paris FC, marking his return to management after being sacked by Chelsea earlier this year. The 41-year-old English coach signed a two-year contract with the French Ligue 1 club on Tuesday.
Rosenior's Chelsea Tenure
Rosenior was hired by Chelsea from sister club Strasbourg in January on a six-year contract but lasted only 106 days. He won 11 of his 23 matches in charge, but a run of five consecutive defeats led to his dismissal before the end of the season, with Chelsea finishing 10th in the Premier League.
Return to Ligue 1
Rosenior is back in Ligue 1 after a successful spell at Strasbourg, where he spent one full season and guided the club to a seventh-place finish, securing European qualification for the first time in eight years. Paris FC announced the appointment after parting ways with Antoine Kombouare, who was appointed in February and steered the club away from relegation to an 11th-placed finish.
Paris FC returned to Ligue 1 last season for the first time since 1979 but dismissed promotion-winning coach Stephane Gilli following a poor run of form. Kombouare, a former Paris Saint-Germain boss, was brought in as a temporary fix.
Club's Vision and Rosenior's Philosophy
A Paris FC statement said Rosenior was “fully in line” with the club’s “philosophy and sporting project”. Sporting director Marco Neppe commented: “Liam Rosenior brings together all the qualities we were looking for. He is a modern, demanding coach and recognised for his ability to help both the players and the team progress. Beyond his tactical skills, we were particularly attracted by his management qualities and his ability to unite a group around a clear vision.”
Rosenior expressed his enthusiasm: “I’m so happy to be the new coach of Paris FC. I can’t wait to get started with the players. I want my team to enjoy playing football, to show and express themselves and play with intensity and enthusiasm. That’s what I’m about and hopefully I can bring that to this club.”
The club thanked Kombouare for his work, saying: “Paris FC welcomes Liam Rosenior and would like to thank Antoine Kombouare for the work accomplished during his time at the club.”
