Liam Rosenior has confirmed at a surprise Strasbourg press conference that he will be taking over as the head coach of Chelsea, with his contract to be signed in the coming hours.
Rosenior revealed he has a verbal agreement in place to join the Premier League club, along with his assistants Kalifa Cisse and Justin Walker. Strasbourg president Marc Keller fought to keep the 41-year-old Englishman in position, but ultimately failed.
It is highly unusual for a manager leaving one club for another to hold a media briefing before all has been confirmed, but Rosenior explained he felt it was appropriate, and that he decided to do this presser out of respect to Strasbourg.
The 41-year-old is expected to fly out of Strasbourg into Farnborough Airport this morning via private jet to seal his move to the West London club.
Rosenior said: ‘On Saturday, I didn’t know what was going to happen. What has happened since is that I have been allowed to speak with one of the biggest clubs in the world.
‘Now, on this day, it looks like I’m going to be the next manager of that football club. This opportunity for me is something that I cannot turn down in my life right now.
‘They have an incredible squad, an incredible fanbase and they are Club World Cup champions.
Liam Rosenior has admitted at a surprise press conference in Strasbourg this morning that he will be the new Chelsea manager
The 41-year-old said he’s ‘verbally agreed’ to take over the West London club and a deal looks like it’s going to happen
Rosenior is set to board a private jet to Farnborough Airport this morning to complete his move
‘I haven’t signed yet, I’ve agreed verbally with Chelsea. Everything is agreed, it will probably go through in the next few hours. I’m here because I care about this club and I thought it was important to answer your questions before I go on with the next stage of my career.’
Rosenior fronted up, answering every question asked on Strasbourg, including when reporters asked him several times if Chelsea taking their sister side’s head coach was ‘disrespectful’.
He said: ‘It’s the opposite. It shows huge respect, not for the work that I’ve done but that the club has done. Chelsea could pick any coach they want in the world. I’m emotional. This is my last day, the last time, that I wake up as Strasbourg manager.’
Rosenior travelled to London on Sunday to discuss taking over Chelsea, who were playing out a 1-1 draw away at Manchester City at the time, and was accompanied by Keller and Strasbourg sporting director David Weir.
‘Yesterday we sat together for seven hours in different meetings and most of the conversations were about how we can strengthen this team from Chelsea,’ Rosenior said, amid accusations that Strasbourg are only there to benefit the Blues. ‘The narrative that this project is for the interest of only one club and I think in time, I will be proven right.’
Asked whether he is ready to manage Chelsea, Rosenior said: ‘If I didn’t think I was ready, I would not have accepted the job.’
The move to Chelsea will also allow Rosenior to be reunited with his family, which he said played a big part in deciding to leave Strasbourg.
