Liam Rosenior was axed by Chelsea after 107 days in charge following the worst run of form the Blues have suffered since 1912, News.Az reports.

Rosenior, who replaced Enzo Maresca as manager in January, had signed a five-and-a-half-year deal at Stamford Bridge, but the powers that be decided they needed to act following a dismal display in a 3-0 defeat away at Brighton, ironically a club Rosenior played for and coached at. Now the race is on to appoint a new manager ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

Why A Change Had To Be Made

When Rosenior, a young manager at 41-years-old, took charge at Chelsea, he got off to an excellent start. The only defeats the team suffered in their first nine games under his leadership were close-fought reverses at the hands of Arsenal in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup. They won the other seven games, recording wins over the likes of Brentford, Crystal Palace and Napoli in the Champions League.

Looking at the latest betting at Tooniebet, between then and now, Chelsea have gone from being strong favourites in most matches they play, to slight underdogs, largely because of the form that cost Rosenior his job. For the first time since 1912, not only have Chelsea lost five Premier League games in a row, but they’ve failed to score in all five, and failed to register a single shot on target in their defeat against Brighton, meaning there was no way back for Rosenior.

The Plan For Now

After firing Rosenior, the club immediately restored Callum McFarlane to an interim manager role, the one he held for two games between Maresca’s departure and Rosenior’s arrival. In the two games he took the team for, Chelsea recorded a respectable 1-1 draw against Manchester City at the Etihad, before losing 2-1 to Fulham at Craven Cottage.

McFarlane, 40, is said to be respected by the players and will be a steady hand on the tiller until the end of the season. His remit will be to improve the team’s form and somehow put them in a position where they will qualify for European football. Champions League qualification looks beyond them, but they could still qualify for the Europa League.

Discussions About The Next Manager Are Underway

After firing Rosenior and installing McFarlane in the interim, discussions about the next permanent manager of the club started. The current name at the top of the betting is Andoni Iraola, who is leaving Bournemouth this summer. The Spaniard, who has refused to comment on the rumours linking him to Stamford Bridge, was tipped to take the job at Athletic Club, but Edin Terzic, who was also linked with Chelsea, looks set to be appointed.

Two former Chelsea players, Cesc Fabregas and Filipe Luis, are also thought to be names being discussed. Fabregas, who is doing a great job at Como in Serie A, is said to be committed to his current job. Luis, who thought he was in the running for the Stamford Bridge post after Maresca’s departure, is a free agent and has proven his winning credentials in Brazil.

Conclusion

It started well for Rosenior, but the team’s current run of form meant the club had to act in an attempt to save their season. Now, the onus is on the decision makers to get the next appointment right and to move the club in the right direction. Direction, some say, the Blues have lacked for a while.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev