Chelsea have parted company with Liam Rosenior – just 107 days after he took charge.
Calum McFarlane will lead the team into Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final with Leeds at Wembley and remain as interim head coach until the end of the season. McFarlane took on the same role earlier this season for two games when Enzo Maresca left.
Rosenior had been appointed as a surprise replacement for Maresca in January but seven defeats in the last eight matches has led to his reign being cut short after just four months.
Rosenior had signed a six-year contract with Chelsea when he made the move from Strasbourg, who are owned by Chelsea’s parent company BlueCo. But there were chants from Chelsea fans for him to be dismissed during and after the 3-0 loss at Brighton on Tuesday night.
It was a fifth Premier League defeat in a row and makes qualification for next season’s Champions League unlikely. Chelsea failed to score in each of those five league defeats – their worst goalless losing league run since 1912.
Rosenior leaves Chelsea seventh in the Premier League, seven points off fifth-placed Liverpool, who have a game in hand. Maresca left Chelsea in fifth but they had slipped to eighth by the time Rosenior took over from interim boss McFarlane.
Sky Sports News understands reports that Chelsea will have to pay Rosenior a large compensation fee are not accurate. It is understood a break clause was included in Rosenior’s contract.
The 41-year-old apologised to the travelling fans at Brighton at full-time but then hit out at his players, calling their performance “indefensible”, “unacceptable” and “unprofessional”.
During his time in charge, Rosenior also oversaw Carabao Cup semi-final defeats to Arsenal and an 8-2 aggregate thrashing in the Champions League last-16 by Paris St-Germain.
However, he did secure FA Cup wins over Championship sides Charlton, Hull City and Wrexham (on penalties) before a 7-0 drubbing of League One bottom club Port Vale set up Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final with Leeds.
A Chelsea statement read: “Chelsea Football Club has today parted company with head coach Liam Rosenior.
“On behalf of everyone at Chelsea FC, we would like to place on record our gratitude to Liam and his staff for all their efforts during their time with the club.
Liam Rosenior apologises to fans with players following Chelsea defeat against Brighton, their fifth successive in the Premier League
“Liam has always conducted himself with the highest integrity and professionalism following his appointment mid-way through the season.
“This has not been a decision the club has taken lightly, however recent results and performances have fallen below the necessary standards with still so much more to play for this season. Everyone at Chelsea FC wishes Liam every success in the future.
“Calum McFarlane will take charge of the team as interim head coach until the end of the season with support from existing club backroom staff, as we strive to achieve European qualification and progress in the FA Cup.
“As the club works to bring stability to the head coach position, we will undertake a process of self-reflection to make the right long-term appointment.”
Rosenior fumes at performance in Brighton defeat
Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior claimed the 3-0 defeat to Brighton in the Premier League was an ‘unacceptable’ performance from his side and said that he never wants to see that again from his players
Liam Rosenior speaking to Sky Sports after Chelsea lost 3-0 at Brighton on Tuesday:
“That was unacceptable in every aspect of the game. I keep coming out and defending the players, that was indefensible, that performance tonight. The manner of the goals we conceded, the duels that we lost. Something has to change drastically right here, right now.
“We need to look in the mirror. I need to look in the mirror. But I can’t keep coming out here and defending some of the things that we’re seeing. Manchester United, genuinely result wasn’t there but I felt we turned a corner.
“But the general attitude, spirit was lacking – determination from three or four of the starting eleven. That’s nowhere near enough for this club. I can’t come out and lie. I tell the truth. That was an unacceptable performance at every level.”
Merson: Rosenior lost the fans and the players
Sky Sports’ Paul Merson:
“When you get the sack as a manager, you get it for two reasons: either the fans are on your back, or the players aren’t running for you.
“This is double bubble. And he knows that because of his interview after the game. He’s taken the blame and backed the players. Tuesday was a sign to me that he knows he’s in major trouble and needs to look after himself.
“Fair play, he told the truth. The players threw him under the bus, and he did the same back.
“There is no way he’ll be on a contract where he gets paid up for the remainder of it. I’d be shocked. That would be more worrying to me than anything, if they think a manager who has never managed at the top level can come in and be a massive success immediately. It ain’t happening.”
Read more from Paul Merson as he slams the Chelsea players for their performance at Brighton
The damning stats behind Brighton defeat
Brighton out-ran Chelsea by seven kilometres
By Sky Sports’ Sam Blitz…
The lack of fight by the Blues was seen in the duels.
Chelsea’s players took 32 minutes to complete their first tackle of the game. By half-time, 10 out of their 11 starters hadn’t managed a single one.
Chelsea rank bottom for distance covered per game
It was no surprise that Chelsea were so limp off the ball because Chelsea have been out-run by every single one of their Premier League opponents – 34 matches out of 34.
But it’s in attack where the headlines lie. To go four Premier League games without scoring a goal is bad enough but to not even register a shot on target in the fifth?
The underlying data is even worse than just ‘no shots on target’. Their first half Expected Goals (xG) tally of 0.04 was lower than they had in any of Enzo Maresca’s 114 halves of Premier League football as Chelsea boss – a sign of how far backwards they are going.
Tim Sherwood said Chelsea players keep throwing their managers under the bus
Chelsea’s next five fixtures
- April 26 Leeds (N) – FA Cup
- May 4: Nottingham Forest (H) – live on Sky Sports
- May 9: Liverpool (A) – Premier League
- May 17: Tottenham (H) – Premier League
- April 25: Sunderland (A) – Premier League
