Wayne Rooney has thrown his full support behind Liam Rosenior’s candidacy for the Chelsea job, saying the Strasbourg boss is “as good a coach as I’ve ever worked with” and deserves a chance at managing one of England’s top clubs.
Rosenior, 41, is currently in advanced talks with Chelsea over becoming their next head coach following Enzo Maresca’s departure. The Englishman arrived in London on Sunday to begin negotiations, with the move widely expected to be finalised soon. His current employers, Ligue 1 side Strasbourg, are owned by BlueCo the same group that owns Chelsea easing the pathway for a potential switch.
Rooney and Rosenior worked closely together during their time at Derby County between 2021 and 2022. Rosenior served as assistant manager during a turbulent period for the Rams, before briefly taking over as interim boss after Rooney’s departure.
Speaking on the Wayne Rooney Show on BBC, the former England captain praised Rosenior’s tactical intelligence and day-to-day coaching methods.
“Liam’s detail, how he approaches the job daily he’s as good as I’ve worked with,” Rooney said. “He was so important for me at Derby. I learned a lot from him. I focused more on managing players and the overall environment, while Liam took care of the technical side. He was incredible.”
Rosenior later managed Hull City and narrowly missed out on the Championship playoffs before being sacked — a decision that surprised many. He then joined Strasbourg in 2024, where he has built a reputation for clear tactical identity and player development, despite limited resources.
As Chelsea look to stabilise after another managerial departure, Rosenior’s grounded leadership and modern approach could offer a refreshing shift. For Rooney, there’s no doubt he’s ready for the leap.
