Liam Rosenior aware of pressure but vows to work hard to make Chelsea successful

New head coach Liam Rosenior said there are no promises of success for the Chelsea model as he prepares to lead the team into his first match in charge.

Saturday’s FA Cup third round meeting with Charlton at The Valley sees the Blues begin life under their fourth permanent boss of the BlueCo ownership era.

The former Strasbourg coach has been appointed on the understanding that he was the best candidate to develop Chelsea’s young, inexperienced squad assembled by the owners and sporting directors.

The model of excessively recruiting youth means the club has the youngest average age in the Premier League but has brought criticism from supporters and pundits that it has left the squad lacking leadership.

“We’re trying to build something in a different way,” Rosenior admitted. “I’m very, very confident that in time we’ll show people why we’ve done it this way.

“My job is to move that forward, to try and get this club to that place where teams really fear coming to Stamford Bridge, and the fans look forward to every game.”

At Strasbourg, who are also owned by BlueCo and adopt a similar recruitment strategy, Rosenior worked with the youngest squad in Europe’s top-five leagues and enjoyed considerable success, leading the team to a seventh-place finish in Ligue 1 – only the second time since 1981 they had finished that high – and into the Conference League.

“When I went in at Strasbourg I was a joke,” he said. “They said my team would finish last, it was an impossible project, the players were way too young, I was a nobody from England. We finished three points outside the Champions League.

“The outside noise is just noise. If we focus on the job we can do amazing things. I’m not promising it, I’m working towards it. I believe very strongly that we can be successful here.”

BlueCo have dismissed four permanent bosses since buying the club in 2022 with Enzo Maresca – who departed on New Year’s Day after his relationship with bosses deteriorated – the longest-lasting incumbent at 18 months.

At 41 years old and in only his third permanent appointment following spells at Hull and Strasbourg, much has been made of a club of Chelsea size and expectations opting for a manager with so little experience at the top level.

It is however in keeping with the ownership’s track record at Stamford Bridge, following the appointments of Graham Potter – who last seven months – and Maresca.

“The turnover of managers now regardless of club is huge,” said Rosenior. “The pressure is there from day one. I’m aware of that.

“The bigger the club you’re at, the higher the pressure but the higher the privilege. I can’t wait for tomorrow night. I couldn’t wait to get here. If you’re scared or fearful there’s no point being a coach.

“I’ve worked so hard my whole life for this opportunity. Now I’m going to enjoy it. I’m going to work 24 hours a day. I’ll push the players as hard as I possibly can to be successful.”