Liam Rosenior has left his position as Chelsea head coach after lower than 4 months in cost following a five-match Premier League run of defeats with out scoring.
Chelsea mentioned the choice to half firm with the 41-year-old had not been “taken evenly”, appearing as a result of “current outcomes and performances have fallen beneath the mandatory requirements with nonetheless a lot extra to play for this season”.
The assertion praised Rosenior for displaying the “highest integrity and professionalism”. “Because the membership works to deliver stability to the pinnacle coach place, we’ll undertake a means of self-reflection to make the appropriate long-term appointment,” Chelsea added.
Assistant Calum McFarlane will take short-term cost for a second time this season, with the Blues seven factors from the seemingly Champions League qualification locations and at risk of lacking out totally on European competitors subsequent season.
Rosenior voiced his fury after his aspect misplaced 3-0 at Brighton & Hove Albion on Tuesday, failing to supply an try on course because the Seagulls leapfrogged the guests into sixth and piled extra strain on the newcomer to Premier League administration, who mentioned he felt “numb” and “offended” in regards to the “unacceptable” efficiency.
The eight-time FA Cup winners meet Leeds United within the semi-finals of the competitors at Wembley Stadium on Sunday (15:00 BST).
Why have Chelsea sacked Liam Rosenior?
Rosenior, who arrived on January 6 on a deal till 2032, declared he felt whole help from membership homeowners BlueCo earlier than the match towards Brighton – one of many sides he represented throughout his elite enjoying profession as a full-back.
Co-owner Behdad Eghbali gave Rosenior equivocal backing in the course of the build-up to the defeat by saying Chelsea believed Rosenior could possibly be “profitable long run” in a “outcomes enterprise”.
A dire show on the Amex Stadium modified that perspective as Chelsea went 5 league defeats and not using a purpose for the primary time since 1912, misplaced 5 in a row within the high flight for the primary time since 1993 and endured a twelfth sport within the division and not using a clear sheet, representing their longest run because the 1996/1997 season.
Their anticipated targets whole of 0.04 within the first half towards Albion was decrease than in any of their 114 halves underneath Rosenior’s predecessor, Enzo Maresca, who left on New Yr’s Day after publicly criticising the membership.
Chelsea occupied fifth place – the seemingly last place to ensure Champions League qualification this season – after drawing 2-2 at house to Bournemouth of their last sport underneath Maresca, who guided them to a fourth-placed end alongside Membership World Cup and Convention League glory throughout his first marketing campaign in cost in 2024/25.
With 4 league matches of their season remaining, Chelsea’s sharp stoop has left them extremely unlikely to catch fifth-placed Liverpool, who’ve a sport in hand.
Failing to achieve the profitable Champions League can be one other blow to Chelsea’s funds after they posted a deficit of £355 million – the most important ever recorded by an English membership – for 2024/25.
Rosenior additionally needed to cope with high-profile gamers voicing their discontent over Maresca’s departure and suggesting their very own futures on the membership have been unsure.
Vice-captain Enzo Fernandez was dropped for 2 matches earlier this month after suggesting he would like to reside in Madrid amid hypothesis linking the midfielder with Actual Madrid.
Fernandez additionally mentioned in March that the top of Maresca’s 18-month reign had “damage” Chelsea, though Rosenior then claimed he had held “an amazing dialog” with the £107m Argentina worldwide, describing him as “absolutely dedicated to this group and to profitable right here at this soccer membership.”
Amongst wide-ranging feedback showing to cricitise the membership, defender Marc Cucurella, who prolonged his contract in 2025, advised The Athletic on March 31 that the squad was inexperienced and Maresca’s exit had induced a “huge impression on us.”
In response, Rosenior known as for extra “emotional stability” from his gamers and pledged to alter the tradition on the membership, including that their feedback “stemmed from a great place” after Chelsea have been crushed 8-2 on mixture by Paris Saint-Germain within the Champions League spherical of 16.
“Plenty of this stems from a tough 10 days when it comes to outcomes we’ve had – most likely probably the most tough for me as a participant or supervisor,” Rosenior mentioned of Fernandez and Cucurella’s interviews.
Liam Rosenior Chelsea file, stats
After spells teaching at Brighton and Derby County, Rosenior impressed in his first managerial position at Hull Metropolis between 2022 and 2024, incomes a nomination for the Championship Supervisor of the Season award in April 2024.
Hull surprisingly sacked Rosenior the next month after narrowly lacking out on the second-tier play-offs, and the son of former supervisor Leroy Rosenior proceeded to reinforce his fame at Ligue 1 membership Strasbourg, who’re owned by BlueCo.
Strasbourg have been some extent behind Monaco within the race for Champions League qualification in France after a 2-1 house win over PSG in Might 2025, solely to complete seventh and enter the Conference League qualification play-offs after dropping their last two video games towards lowly Angers and Le Havre.
Le Racing then completed high of the league section within the 2025/26 Convention League – taking 16 factors from 18 accessible – and have been seventh in Ligue 1 when Rosenior left.
Now managed by former Wolves and Bournemouth boss Gary O’Neil, Strasbourg gained 4 of their first 5 league video games underneath Rosenior this season however misplaced 5 and gained two of the Englishman’s last 10 in Ligue 1.
Rosenior made a promising begin at Chelsea, profitable seven of his first 9 matches in all competitions, with the defeats alongside the best way sending his new membership out of the EFL Cup semi-finals over two legs towards Arsenal.
Attracts at house to relegation-threatened Leeds and Burnley preceded one other loss to Arsenal – this time within the league – and a 4-1 win at high-flying Aston Villa.
That proved the final time Rosenior prevented defeat other than two FA Cup wins over opponents from decrease divisions.
“One thing wants to alter drastically proper now,” Rosenior warned after his last sport in cost, having been booed by followers who known as for him to go away after full time.
“The gamers want to take a look within the mirror for what they put in. You may discuss ways… ways come after the fundamentals.
“Having extra braveness to play, profitable duels, profitable headers, tackles, conceding horrible targets. That was an unacceptable efficiency.
“This was about need, spirit, braveness – and I didn’t see sufficient of that. I’ve defended the gamers at instances when it was the proper factor, however I can’t defend that efficiency.
“It doesn’t signify this soccer membership, it doesn’t signify something I ask from the group and that has to alter.
“The professionalism wasn’t there. The final perspective, spirit, dedication was missing other than possibly three or 4 of the 11. That’s nowhere close to sufficient for this membership.
“Whether or not you’re enjoying at this elite soccer membership or any soccer membership, to even be accused of throwing the towel in is unacceptable. That’s all I’m going to say. I’m hurting.
“We have to make the appropriate choices for the workforce forward of a large sport on Sunday and we’ll do every little thing we will to show it round.”
A convincing win in Rosenior’s first sport! 🔵#CFC | #EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/RyFYnXnoDH
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 10, 2026
Subsequent Chelsea supervisor: Who will succeed Liam Rosenior?
BlueCo at the moment are looking for their sixth everlasting supervisor since taking on Chelsea in a £4.25 billion deal in Might 2022.
Former Chelsea left-back Filipe Luis, who gained titles together with the Copa Libertadores, Brazilian Serie A and Brazilian Cup in his solely managerial position up to now with Flamengo between 2024 and 2026, is among the many favourites with bookmakers.
Odds compilers additionally consider Diego Simeone, who has gained La Liga and the Europa League twice every and reached the Champions League last twice since taking cost of Atletico Madrid in 2011, is a frontrunner.
Outgoing Crystal Palace supervisor Oliver Glasner – an FA Cup winner with the Eagles final season – and former Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez are additionally priced quick, as are Andoni Iraola, who will depart Bournemouth on the finish of the marketing campaign, Roberto De Zerbi, who’s trying to rescue Tottenham from relegation, and Como supervisor Cesc Fabregas, a Chelsea midfielder between 2014 and 2019.
What’s subsequent for Chelsea?
Right here’s how Chelsea’s remaining fixtures in 2025/26 look. Ought to they beat Leeds, they may advance to the FA Cup last towards Manchester Metropolis or Southampton on Might 16.
| Date | Opponents | BST begin time | ET | PT |
| Solar, Apr 26 | Leeds (N) | 15:00 | 10:00 | 07:00 |
| Mon, Might 4 | Nottingham Forest (H) | 15:00 | 10:00 | 07:00 |
| Sat, Might 9 | Liverpool (A) | 12:30 | 07:30 | 04:30 |
| TBC | Tottenham (H) | TBC | TBC | TBC |
| Solar, Might 24 | Sunderland (A) | 16:00 | 11:00 | 08:00 |
