Strasbourg supporters have slammed club president Marc Keller following Liam Rosenior’s move to Chelsea. They have demanded Keller’s resignation, labeling Rosenior’s exit as “a humiliating step”.
The west London side has appointed Liam Rosenior as their new head coach following Enzo Maresca’s exit last week. With the Blues and Strasbourg, both under the BlueCo group, the Englishman was seen as a favorite to replace Maresca. His appointment was confirmed on Tuesday, January 6.
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Strasbourg supporters, however, slammed the club president Marc Keller in a statement that read (h/t The Sun):
“The transfer of Liam Rosenior marks another humiliating step in Racing’s subservience to Chelsea. For two and a half years, along with others, we have been trying to raise the alarm about this. The problem goes far beyond the mid-season sporting impact and the ambitions of a young coach. It is structural; the future of French club football is at stake.
“Every additional contortion by Marc Keller, every extra minute spent at the helm of the club, is an insult to the tremendous work accomplished before 2023. What was seen by many as an outrageous move last September increasingly looks like sound advice: he must leave. Now. The FSRCS will coordinate closely with the three other associations actively fighting against multiple ownership, as well as all people of goodwill, to define the next steps.”
Strasbourg supporters had also expressed their anger earlier this season when it was announced that striker Emanuel Emegha would join Chelsea in 2026.
Liam Rosenior says he couldn’t turn down Chelsea offer
In his statement, Liam Rosenior claimed that he couldn’t turn down the opportunity to manage the Blues. He said that the Premier League giants are bigger than Strasbourg and urged understanding from the French club’s fans.
He stated:
“It’s not just Chelsea, I have had interest from other Champions League clubs. But this opportunity, I can’t turn down. In football there are levels. Strasbourg is not on as big a level as Chelsea. It’s not on the same level.
“There are certain clubs you can’t turn down. I hope fans understand that their manager has been identified as someone to be the coach of the world champions. And I hope they can see how difficult it was for me to leave this club,” he added.
Rosenior was appointed Strasbourg manager in the summer of 2024. He managed 32 wins, 17 defeats, and 14 draws in 63 games in charge of the French side.
His first game in charge of the Blues will be against Fulham at Craven Cottage on Wednesday, January 7.
Edited by Aditya Singh
