Young, articulate, ambitious: why Liam Rosenior is in the frame to be Chelsea's next manager | Michael Butler

Liam Rosenior's meteoric rise to becoming Chelsea's top managerial contender has left many pundits and fans alike in awe. What was once thought to be an impossible journey for an Englishman has now become a tantalizing prospect, with the 41-year-old former player turned coach emerging as the club's most likely replacement for Enzo Maresca.

Rosenior's ascent began during his playing days at Bristol City, Fulham, Reading, Hull and Brighton. He transitioned seamlessly into coaching roles, first managing the under-23 side of Brighton and later supplementing his punditry work with coaching gigs. His time as assistant to Wayne Rooney at Derby County in 2021 had a profound impact on Rosenior's development, earning him widespread acclaim for his 'pressure management, man management, being intuitive and the lessons he learned from Sir Alex Ferguson.' The latter is Rosenior's undisputed hero.

Following Rooney's sacking at Derby, Rosenior took over as interim manager, impressing Hull City with his tactical acumen. He led the Tigers to a respectable seventh-placed finish in the Championship before being sacked midway through the 2023-24 season. Despite this setback, Rosenior was soon reappointed by Strasbourg, where he guided the French club to a mid-table finish in Ligue 2.

Despite speaking limited French, Rosenior's intelligence, insight and ambition have won over both his players and the BlueCo hierarchy. His ability to think on his feet has been praised by pundits, who see him as an attractive appointment for Chelsea. Unlike some of his English counterparts, Rosenior is not afraid to speak about diversity in management, with his father Leroy, a former Fulham, Queens Park Rangers and West Ham forward, instilling the importance of representation.

Rosenior's coaching philosophy has been influenced by Bill Belichick, NFL legend and one of the most successful coaches in American football history. His formation-agnostic approach would allow him to tinker with Chelsea's squad without needing to overhaul it entirely. Furthermore, Rosenior's experience as a player, watching games from the sidelines while recovering from injuries, would enable him to make decisive decisions from the touchline.

With Andrey Santos breaking into Strasbourg's team under Rosenior's guidance last season and Emmanuel Emegha joining Chelsea next summer, there is little doubt that the 41-year-old has already established a rapport with key players. His media savvy and ability to sidestep controversy would also make him an attractive appointment for Chelsea.

Rosenior would become just the 10th permanent black manager in Premier League history, following in the footsteps of West Ham's Nuno EspΓ­rito Santo. As the son of Leroy Rosenior, Liam has been instilled with a deep understanding of diversity in management, making his appointment all the more compelling.

It remains to be seen whether Rosenior can put his skills into practice at Stamford Bridge. With Chelsea's notoriously high expectations, the pressure will undoubtedly be on him. Nevertheless, this talented 41-year-old is certainly one for the books, and his journey from coaching gig to managerial hotseat shows just how far he has come.
 
πŸ€” i think chelsea needs someone with a fresh perspective, you know? Rosenior's got that under his belt, coming from a different background and having a non-traditional path into management. Plus, his tactical acumen is on point πŸ“Š. It's interesting to see him being touted as the next big thing, but we should also remember he's only 41, so let's not put too much pressure on him just yet 😬.
 
im lovin this development 🀩, think its awesome that we got a more diverse lineup of managers now, especially with liam rosenior bein a black british guy makin history as the 10th premier league manager from african descent, cant wait to see him tackle the pressure at chelsea
 
idk why chelsea wouldnt go 4 liam rosenior lol πŸ€” he's like the ultimate underdog story - went from playing 4 small clubs 2 becoming a top manager contender... his dad is like a legend in football history & he's all about representation & diversity in management which rite now is what we need more of πŸ’‘ plus hes got that cool american coaching vibe w/ bill belichick & nfl 🏈πŸ”₯
 
man, i'm so hyped about liam rosenior potentially taking over at chelsea lol 🀩 it's like, the more you read about him, the more you see this dude is meant for the big time. his coaching philosophy is all about being adaptable and thinking on your feet which is super attractive to a club like chelsea that always expects to win. also, his experience as a player has given him a unique perspective on the game 🀝 and it's dope to see someone of color breaking into top management roles in english football πŸ’ͺ
 
πŸ†πŸ’ͺπŸ”₯

[Image of a football with a megaphone emoji in the middle]

πŸ˜‚πŸ‘΄ The Rosenior Express πŸš‚ is coming for Chelsea! πŸŽ‰

[ GIF of a coach's whistle blowing ]

🀝 Representation matters, and Liam Rosenior has got it covered πŸ’•.

[ Image of Bill Belichick holding up a football trophy ]

Formation-agnostic? Check. Experience from the sidelines? Check. Media savvy? Double check!

[ GIF of a player breaking into a smile ]

Andrey Santos & Emmanuel Emegha - welcome to the squad, guys! πŸ‘‹

🌟 This 41-year-old is bringing his A-game (and some great dad vibes) to Stamford Bridge 🏠.

[Footage of a football stadium with a "Rosenior for Chelsea" sign waving in the air]

The pressure will be on... but can he handle it? πŸ”₯
 
omg i just got a new phone πŸ“± and i'm totally clueless about all these football things... so like who's Liam Rosenior and why should we care that he might become Chelsea manager? πŸ˜‚ is it true he played for some teams in England and then became a coach and stuff? i thought football managers had to be super experienced or something πŸ€” also what's with the "pressure management" thingy... does that mean they have to deal with angry fans? πŸ™…β€β™‚οΈ
 
I'm low-key impressed by Rosenior's rise to top contender at Chelsea πŸ€”...but honestly, can't they make it easier for us newbies? Like, what's up with the "interim manager" label? πŸ™„ Just give him the keys already! πŸ˜… And another thing, how long is this gonna take? We're talking 41 years old and still climbing the managerial ladder...can't he just be the first black manager at Chelsea instead of the tenth? πŸ˜’
 
I'm not convinced that Rosenior's got what it takes to manage Chelsea... I mean, sure, he's done alright in France and at Derby, but that's a far cry from the Premier League. He's been lucky so far - Strasbourg didn't exactly have high standards to meet, and Derby was just a small club after Rooney left. And let's not forget, his dad is a player, not some kind of coaching guru πŸ™„. He's got some decent ideas, I'll give him that, but can he handle the pressure at Stamford Bridge? The thought of Rosenior making decisions under fire, like Belichick does in the NFL, is still a bit far-fetched for me πŸ’ͺ
 
🀩 I'm loving the vibes around Liam Rosenior's Chelsea gig! His background as a player-coach combo is so underrated - who better to get inside the players' heads than someone who's been in their shoes? 🏈πŸ’ͺ Plus, his dad Leroy's got some major influence on him, and that's dope. I'm all for diversity in management, and Liam's gotta be the first black manager at Chelsea in a while! ⚽️ Let's see how he handles the pressure, but from what I've read, this guy's ready for it πŸ™Œ
 
I think Rosenior's rise to being considered as a top contender for Chelsea's manager spot is super inspiring πŸ™Œ He came from nothing and now he's in with a shout of taking over one of the biggest clubs in the world, which is just incredible. I mean, we all know that football is a boys' game but to have someone like him, who's also black and has experienced racism firsthand, be considered for such an important role is massive πŸ™ His ability to manage pressure and man management skills are seriously lacking in some of the top managers at the moment. And let's not forget his coaching philosophy, which is influenced by Bill Belichick - that's huge πŸ’‘ Plus, he's got a deep understanding of diversity in management from his dad Leroy, who played for some big clubs. It'll be interesting to see how Chelsea approach this appointment and whether Rosenior can handle the pressure πŸ€”
 
πŸ€” Rosenior's appointment would be a huge win for diversity in management - it's time we saw more black faces behind the desk πŸ† His experience in France with Strasbourg will surely come in handy, but let's see if he can translate that to the Premier League ⚽️ Chelsea fans are always on high alert, so Rosenior needs to be ready for some intense scrutiny πŸ”₯ Bill Belichick's influence is a good thing - his tactics would keep the team adaptable πŸ“ˆ The question is, how will Rosenior handle the expectations at Stamford Bridge? 🀝 Can he make the right decisions without panicking under pressure? πŸ’―
 
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