Liam Rosenior’s actions described by journalist as “slightly weird” and undermining | OneFootball

As journalist has been left a little annoyed with the actions of Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior over the weekend.

It’s a story that has really started causing issues and drama, and a story that the media have obviously picked up on and ran with, as they would. And frankly, it’s just all a bit silly and pointless.

EXCLUSIVE! Chelsea closing in on deal to sign top midfielder from France!

DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL CHELSEA NEWS APP FOR ALL THE LATEST UPDATES – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ON THE APP STORE

We are talking about the Chelsea huddle before kick offs. They do it over the ball in the centre circle and before their 1-0 defeat to Newcastle at the weekend, they did it around the Referee who was stood in the middle waiting to get the kick off going!?

Winter on Rosenior

Chelsea’s pre-match huddle featuring referee Paul Tierney. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Journalist Henry Winter has reacted to it on X this morning. He said:

‘There are bigger issues in the game than Chelsea’s huddle around the ball. Howard Webb has bigger issues to address as refs’ chief (VAR application, refereeing standards, grappling at corners etc) but he should have a quiet word with Chelsea. It was the opposition’s kick-off. Do your huddle in your own half.

‘Someone at Chelsea should have a word with Liam Rosenior. Consider your reputation. If the huddle is mind games, new-age bonding or designed to wind up the opposition, whatever, it’s not very effective. It’s hardly the Haka. Chelsea lost. At home.

‘Rosenior is a promising head coach but the way he defends the huddle is slightly weird and undermines only himself. Rosenior has already shown he’s territorial pre-match, having criticised someone from Arsenal being in Chelsea’s half during the warm-up.

‘A ritual “to respect the ball”? Respect the game first. Respect the opposition. Respect their kick-off. Respect your own fans by winning. Rosenior’s post-match comments were either naïve, cringe-making or diversionary after a defeat.

‘Those of us who want Rosenior to succeed hope he does open his eyes and ears, who perhaps has a managerial mentor he can turn to (Leroy?). Because Rosenior does have some very good ideas, because we’ve seen his promising work at Derby, Hull and Strasbourg, and spoken to him along the way. He’s trying to succeed at Chelsea with a club recruitment strategy that has left him without sufficient experience on the field, certainly at centre-back, or elite quality in goal.

‘Rosenior doing well would be good for the standing of home-grown coaches and also good for Chelsea not to have constant managerial churn. But he’s yet to convince many Chelsea fans he’s worthy of the role. New ritual side-shows don’t help. What about rediscovering Chelsea’s old ritual of winning?

‘Back to Webb. He should also have a word with his ref Paul Tierney. Be stronger. Tierney looked weak trapped in the middle, a supply teacher surrounded in an unruly playground. Hugged by Cole Palmer, Tierney’s authority was undermined further.

‘Tierney should have spoken to Reece James, Chelsea’s captain and one of the more sensible characters in the game. Tierney should have pointed out it’s Newcastle’s kick-off and tell him to do the huddle further back. There are enough match-balls around the apron of the pitch. Borrow one. Do your ritual – and then focus on getting into the Champions League positions. That will safeguard Rosenior’s job, not respecting the ball.’

In other news…

Liam Rosenior has summed up Chelsea’s issues after yet another defeat on the pitch at the weekend by saying they could be contained in two main “aspects.”

In a situation that has caused a lot of drama and debate, the manager also got side-tracked talking about the ridiculous pre-match huddle situation.

If you enjoy Chelsea News coverage and want to see more of it, add us as a preferred source on Google to make us a favourite and see more of our content.

Check out the latest edition of Simon Phillips’ SPTC podcast here: