Former Strasbourg boss Liam Rosenior takes the reigns as Chelsea manager for the first time with giant-killing danger when the Blues head to second-tier Charlton in the FA Cup third round.

Liam Rosenior’s last taste of managing in English football came in the sedate surroundings of Plymouth, where his Hull side slumped to a 1-0 defeat to bring a disappointing end to their bid to reach the Championship play-offs in May 2024.

When Rosenior was sacked just days after that loss, a less confident character would have found it hard to believe they were destined to manage Chelsea less than two years later.

But the ultra-driven Rosenior has done exactly that, earning a reputation as a young coach to watch by leading unfashionable Strasbourg to a seventh place finish in the French league last season.

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Despite his solid work at another club controlled by Chelsea owners BlueCo, Rosenior was still a surprise choice to replace Enzo Maresca at Stamford Bridge.

Now the 41-year-old will experience life under a microscope, with his debut at The Valley serving as an intriguing introduction.

Rosenior knows he must make a fast start to keep the doubters at bay and a loss at Charlton, languishing in 19th place in the Championship, would be a disastrous opening to his reign.

“For this opportunity to come up at this stage of my career is great but my biggest focus is not about being Chelsea manager, it’s about being a winning Chelsea manager,” said Rosenior, whose father Leroy played for Charlton in the 1990s.

“We need to hit the ground running for the rest of the season.”

– AFP

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