Strasbourg braced as Rosenior could replace Maresca at Chelsea | OneFootball

Liam Rosenior could replace Enzo Maresca at Chelsea, a move that would deal Strasbourg a sporting and political blow. According to L'Équipe, anxiety is growing at the BlueCo-owned club as potential successors are already being discussed.

Since BlueCo bought the Racing, executives have insisted Strasbourg's interests do not trail Chelsea's, with president Marc Keller calling Chelsea the big brother. A mid-season departure for London would test that claim.

Eric Ramsay has been proposed. The 33-year-old, formerly Chelsea’s reserve coach from 2021 to 2023, is currently in charge at Minnesota FC. Brian Barry-Murphy, 47, of Cardiff City, and Kjetil Knutsen, a four-time Norwegian champion and Europa League semi-finalist with Bodö/Glimt, are also under consideration.

Callum McFarlane, who coached Strasbourg's Samuel Amo-Ameyaw in Southampton's youth set-up and worked in Manchester City’s academy, now leads Chelsea’s under-21s and has been mentioned. Promoting assistant Filipe Coelho is another route, the Portuguese is viewed as a developer and had been earmarked to take Strasbourg in the medium term, though he could also follow Rosenior.

Relations with core supporters have been strained since the mid-2023 takeover, and an open conflict with four groups followed a banners row. On 14 September, captain Emmanuel Emegha, due to join Chelsea next summer, was targeted after posing in a Chelsea shirt, and Keller was also criticised. Days later Keller defended the Dutch forward, announced restrictions against those involved, and persistent questions about the project would be harder to answer if Rosenior left.

Source: L'Équipe