Chelsea finally made it official on Tuesday that Liam Rosenior is their new head coach, stepping in after they let Enzo Maresca go last week.
Chelsea appoints new head coach
Rosenior’s appointment came as a surprise to many, but he’s got a solid track record. Just last season, he took RC Strasbourg to European football for the first time in almost two decades. Now, he’s signed on with Chelsea until 2032.
Chelsea Football Club is delighted to announce the appointment of Liam Rosenior as head coach of the men’s team.
Welcome to Chelsea, Liam! 🔵
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 6, 2026
Speaking after the announcement, Rosenior didn’t hold back on emotion. “My job is to protect that identity and create a team that reflects these values every game as we keep chasing trophies.
Being trusted with this role means everything to me, and I’m grateful to everyone who’s put their faith in me. I’ll give everything to bring this club the success it deserves. I believe in teamwork, unity, and working for each other those values will drive us forward. They’ll be the reason we succeed,” he said.
🚨🔵 BREAKING: Liam Rosenior confirms he’s set to sign for Chelsea as new head coach!
“I’m about to become the new manager of Chelsea, one of the biggest clubs in the world”, Rosenior announces.
Agreement in place. ✅ pic.twitter.com/dxJqvWspWG
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 6, 2026
He’s clearly eager to get started. “I’m excited to work with this talented group of players and staff, to build strong bonds on and off the pitch, and to create an environment where everyone feels united and focused on the same goal. There’s real hunger to win here. I’m ready to give my all every single day to help this team compete at the highest level and to make everyone connected to Chelsea proud,” Rosenior added.
Chelsea, for their part, sounded just as thrilled, calling Rosenior’s appointment the start of a new chapter for the men’s team.
Who is Liam Rosenior?
Liam Rosenior took over from Patrick Vieira at Strasbourg last July and led them to seventh in Ligue 1 good enough for a spot in the UEFA Conference League.
This season, Strasbourg sits seventh again, with seven wins, three draws, and seven losses. In Europe, they’re flying high: top of their group with 16 points from five wins and a draw.
Rosenior’s coaching journey started at Hull City, where he took charge in 2022. Even though Hull finished seventh under him and just missed out on the play-offs, the club let him go in 2024. Before Hull, he worked as Wayne Rooney’s assistant at Derby County and even stepped in as interim manager after Rooney left, holding the job until Paul Warne took over.
As a player, Rosenior bounced around a bit. He started out at Bristol City in 2002, then moved to Fulham in 2003. He had to wait a year for his debut and—of all things—got sent off for simulation in a League Cup tie. His Premier League debut came against Manchester United, where he grabbed the man of the match award in a 1-1 draw.
After Fulham, Rosenior joined Reading in 2007, spent some time on loan at Ipswich Town, then landed at Hull City in 2010, sticking around until 2015. He wrapped up his playing days with Brighton, staying there until he retired in 2018.
How did the Internet react?
