Challenges Await Liam Rosenior as Chelsea Head Coach

LONDON — Liam Rosenior may want to ensure that the ink is dry on his six-year contract as Chelsea’s head coach, as he has entered a turbulent environment at Stamford Bridge that seems to be just beginning.

Rosenior has taken over a team that is not only dysfunctional but also lacks a reliable goalkeeper and full-backs. The squad is filled with youthful talent but lacks the experience necessary for high-stakes matches. Even more concerning for Rosenior is the unrest among supporters and their growing anger towards co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali.

In the wake of Chelsea’s 2-1 defeat against West London rivals Fulham, fans unleashed a torrent of furious chants directed at the owners, demanding their departure. They even sang the name of former owner Roman Abramovich, who relinquished control of the club in May 2022 due to UK government sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Currently, disharmony reigns at Chelsea, and Rosenior, through no fault of his own, finds himself caught in this negative momentum. The newly appointed head coach, who left Chelsea’s French partner club Strasbourg to succeed the sacked Enzo Maresca, observed the entire 90 minutes of his team’s loss at Craven Cottage without taking an active role. Despite signing his contract just days earlier, Rosenior felt he did not have sufficient time to prepare his team and chose to sit alongside co-owner Eghbali, leaving interim coach Calum McFarlane to manage the match.

This decision may have marked Rosenior’s first misstep in his new role. While it is understandable that an ambitious young coach would not decline the opportunity to manage a prestigious club like Chelsea, the circumstances surrounding his appointment have further fueled the dissatisfaction of supporters.

Maresca, though not a fan-favorite, gained some respect for securing the UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup, in addition to qualifying for the UEFA Champions League last season. His dismissal—and the rapid appointment of Rosenior, rather than a coach of elite status typical of the Abramovich era—has intensified the supporters’ discontent.

Notably, while fans voiced their frustration at the owners, they did not express any support for Rosenior, who was met with indifference—an unusual reaction for a new coach. Had he taken to the touchline to issue instructions, he might have been able to win over the fans; however, that opportunity will have to await his first official match on Saturday in the FA Cup third round against Charlton Athletic.

As Rosenior prepares to lay out a plan for his squad, he faces significant challenges. The team is brimming with talent but is currently lacking direction and discipline. For instance, Marc Cucurella’s red card for fouling Harry Wilson in the first half marked the team’s seventh dismissal in all competitions this season, four more than any other Premier League club.

Rosenior must instill structure and order, but whether he can achieve this without a commanding center-back to organize a shaky defense remains to be seen. Chelsea has an abundance of players, yet none are performing at their best, evident from their five-match winless streak in the league.

Maresca struggled to find consistency, and it falls to Rosenior to do the same as Chelsea now battles for Champions League qualification, having dropped to seventh place following goals from Fulham’s Raúl Jiménez and Wilson, sandwiching Liam Delap’s equalizer.

After a brief respite on his first day in charge, Rosenior is set to begin the real work against Charlton Athletic on Saturday. If Chelsea falters against the struggling Championship side in this London derby, it could mark a nightmare beginning for his tenure, but this time, Rosenior cannot afford to sit back.