Chelsea’s new manager, Liam Rosenior, has confirmed he will bring three members of his Strasbourg coaching staff with him to Stamford Bridge.
At a press briefing on Tuesday, Rosenior announced that he had reached a verbal agreement to take over the vacant managerial role at Chelsea, ending his 18-month stint in Ligue 1.
The French club, owned by the same BlueCo investment group as Chelsea, provided a smooth transition for Rosenior, who had been the front-runner to replace Enzo Maresca after the Italian’s exit on New Year’s Day.
Joining Rosenior at Chelsea will be Kalifa Cisse, his long-time assistant and translator, Justin Walker, another trusted assistant, and Ben Warner, head of analysis.
“Kalifa isn’t just a translator,” Rosenior said of Cisse. “He’s been incredible for me—his values and emotional intelligence are unmatched. I’ve known him nearly two decades, and he’s been like a manager to me.”
Cisse, Rosenior’s partner in Strasbourg, helped bridge communication with French-speaking players and has lived with Rosenior in France while his family remained in the UK. Rosenior praised Cisse for his support both on and off the pitch.
Walker and Warner have also been close collaborators throughout Rosenior’s coaching career. Walker, who rose through Derby’s academy to first-team development coach, followed Rosenior to Hull before joining Strasbourg. Warner, who started in analysis at Nottingham Forest and later worked at Derby and Hull, is a trusted figure in Rosenior’s backroom team.
Rosenior said bringing the trio to Chelsea was a priority. “I know how valued they are, and having them with me makes the transition smoother. They’ll be integral to getting Chelsea back on track,” he said.
The team is expected to start work at Stamford Bridge this week.
