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Liam Rosenior has told the Chelsea higher-ups exactly what they want to hear ahead of a potential move to Stamford Bridge this month
Liam Rosenior has taken a leaf out of Pep Guardiola's book ahead of a potential move to Stamford Bridge. The Strasbourg boss has emerged as the leading candidate to replace Enzo Maresca as Chelsea broaden their search for a new manager.
football.london understands that Rosenior has impressed the Blues hierarchy during his spell in the French top-flight. Last season, the former Hull City boss helped Strasbourg, also owned by BlueCo, qualify for the UEFA Conference League with one of the youngest squads in Europe.
Having narrowly escaped relegation prior to his arrival, Rosenior certainly turned a few heads. With the financial backing of Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, the 41-year-old has had the opportunity to showcase and develop his philosophy, inspired by Guardiola.
Speaking on Sky Sports in May 2023, Rosenior waxed lyrical about the Manchester City boss. He said: "Pep is a hero of mine, I'm a young manager and somebody who constantly wants to learn.
"Roberto [De Zerbi] was someone I was aware of, not to the level we are aware of him now, but what I'm watching are two coaches who fundamentally believe in the way they play football."
Rosenior, who was the head coach at Hull City at the time, continued: "When you can transmit that to a group of players as well as this guy has done in his career, with his belief and his passion for the game.
"When you see someone like Roberto come into a club that I Iove here at Brighton, and impart his way onto a group of players in six months in the way that he's done it, as a young manager, as a young coach, as a young manager, they're two coaches that I completely look up to.
"Hopefully one day, not to the same level, I can enjoy that type of success as well."
It wasn't the first time that Rosenior had expressed his admiration for Guardiola. In an interview with The Times in July 2022, the Englishman said: "I love Jurgen Klopp and what he stands for.
"I love what Pep Guardiola stands for. And Sir Alex Ferguson. They’re socialists. I don’t mean in the political sense, but they care about people. Look at Pep’s background coming from Catalonia.
"Look at Jurgen Klopp’s politics and why he resonates with fans at Liverpool or Sir Alex Ferguson and the shipyards in Glasgow. They’re socialists. They know that by caring about people you get the best out of them which enables you to be successful and win games."
Rosenior continued: "I come from Brixton where I learned that community is everything. I used to see Neighbourhood Watch signs up on the street. My nan and granddad’s house is 100 yards from Brixton Prison.
"I was a kid in bed and I used to be scared that people from the prison were going to break out and jump in our house. But what there was in the 1980s when I grew up was a real togetherness in the community.
"My parents taught me, ‘if you’re good to people they’ll be good back to you’ and ‘if you try your hardest you can never have a regret’. I’ve been brought up on working-class values and I want to share that with this group of players and with people at the club.
"I’m a giver. I like seeing people achieve. I like helping them..."
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