Liam Rosenior has insisted that he ‘loves’ Strasbourg when asked about rumours linking him to the Chelsea job – but insiders are said to believe he will leave the club ‘like a thief’.
The former Hull City boss, 41, is the leading contender to succeed Enzo Maresca at Stamford Bridge following the Italian’s explosive New Year’s Day departure.
But when grilled about the links on Friday, Rosenior told reporters: ‘There’s a lot of noise, a lot of speculation, but as a coach, if you get involved, you fail. My job is here, I love this club.’
However, French outlet L’Equipe claim to have spoken with sources close to the Ligue 1 side’s dressing home, who expect him to depart for west London and leave the team in chaos.
The 41-year-old was continually pressed about the Chelsea links in his eagerly anticipated press conference and, though he admitted being teased about the potential move, admitted that he does not know ‘what tomorrow will bring’.
He also confirmed that he has had contact with Chelsea but implied that the ‘exchanges’ are because they are ‘part of the same group’ in a nod to BlueCo, who own both the Premier League and Ligue 1 sides.
‘In life, there are zero guarantees,’ Rosenior continued. 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.’
The saga is reportedly causing unrest within the dressing room, with a source telling L’Equipe: ‘Rosenior would really leave like a thief. It’s incomprehensible. The team will implode; I see no other way out.’
Daily Mail Sport understands Rosenior is leading the race to take the Chelsea hot-seat. But the Strasbourg boss took training and addressed the media as normal ahead of his side’s league clash against OGC Nice.
Asked again why he hadn’t ruled out leaving the Alsace-based club by the media, Rosenior said: ‘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.’
BlueCo are admirers of Rosenior due to his work with the Ligue 1 sister club. However, bringing him to Stamford Bridge would leave them needing to make another managerial appointment.
He has them seventh in the league – and impressively beat Crystal Palace in November – but domestic results tailed off in December. Rosenior appeared to reiterate the long-term goals of the club but did not directly stress that he wanted to oversee them.
‘What we want is to continue to progress,’ he said. ‘Last year, we had a very good season. This year, the goal is to do even better. Better than seventh in Ligue 1. We also have a chance to win the Conference League. We are well placed on all fronts.’
He added: ‘The season is still long. The objectives are clear, we have a lot of ambition. The club is progressing.’
Chelsea face Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday and have asked their Under 21 head coach Calum McFarlane, along with his assistants, to prepare the players for that trip to the Etihad Stadium.
There has been no confirmation yet on whether Maresca’s backroom staff members are staying or leaving, including his assistant Willy Caballero.
The aim is for a new manager to continue working under the same system as Maresca, and to avoid the need to make major changes midway through a season in which the club remain fifth, despite their recent run.
Club bosses — including co-owner Behdad Eghbali and sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart — had talks Thursday morning and Maresca’s exit was confirmed soon after.
The writing had been on the wall for Maresca after a spectacular outburst in which he claimed he had endured ‘his worst 48 hours’ following a victory over Everton.
It is thought that the claim related to serious friction between the manager and the medical department and a continuing difference of opinion over the management of injured players and their returns to action.
