‘Zero Guarantees’—Liam Rosenior Speaks Out on Chelsea Job Links

Enzo Maresca’s departure was sudden and swift after a major falling out with BlueCo.

Liam Rosenior is the clear leading candidate at this stage. / Simon Hofmann/UEFA/Getty Images

Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior has confessed the idea of replacing manager Enzo Maresca has been discussed, but insisted he remains committed to the French side.

Rosenior is seen as the top candidate to replace Enzo Maresca, whose shock departure from Stamford Bridge was confirmed on Thursday after a spectacular breakdown with the BlueCo ownership group that also controls Strasbourg.

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Coincidentally, Rosenior was scheduled for a pre-match press conference just 24 hours after news of Maresca’s exit, and it came as no surprise to see the subject dominate the early exchanges.

“I’m going to talk about [Saturday’s game against] Nice because that’s my job,” was Rosenior’s first attempt to deflect a question about Chelsea, but those in attendance refused to leave without an answer.

“There’s a lot of noise, a lot of speculation, but as a coach, if you get involved, you fail,” he continued. “My job is here, I love this club.”

Crucially, Rosenior was asked whether he had spoken to anybody about the position at Chelsea, and while he confessed he had, he insisted that should come as no surprise considering the link between the two clubs.

“There are exchanges because we are part of the same group,” he said.

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Rosenior: Impossible to Predict the Future

Rosenior kept his cards close to his chest. / Rob Casey/SNS Group/Getty Images

Rosenior did his best to stress his commitment to Strasbourg, well aware that flirting with the Blues would undoubtedly upset the section of Strasbourg fans who are vocal in their protests towards the link with Chelsea.

“I want to do my job here, it’s simple,” he explained. “The reality today is that I am the manager of Strasbourg and I am focused on my position.

“In life, there are zero guarantees. You never know what tomorrow will bring. I’m just doing my job. There’s already been speculation. I don’t want to guarantee how long I’ll be here, but I enjoy myself here every day. I intend to continue doing so as long as I’m here. I love this club, but I can’t guarantee anything. Nobody can.”

Challenged over his lack of concrete commitment, Rosenior countered: “I’m honest, you can never control everything in life. I could say I’m going to stay here for years and then get fired.”

Chelsea are thought to have drawn up a small shortlist of targets and are hopeful of naming a permanent replacement for Maresca without a drawn-out process. In the meantime, Under-21 manager Calum McFarlane will lead the Blues, beginning with Sunday’s meeting with Manchester City.

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