Chelsea's new manager Liam Rosenior faces an uphill battle to win over fans who are increasingly disillusioned with the club's ownership and management structure. The 41-year-old Englishman is familiar with the workings of BlueCo, Chelsea's investment vehicle, but will have to navigate a complex web of expectations and perceptions.
Rosenior's biggest challenge won't be managing upwards, as he will be dealing with an experienced coaching staff, but rather rousing his team from their current form slump. He needs to get the best out of Cole Palmer, who has been sidelined by injury, and address Chelsea's tendency to throw away leads at home.
More worrying for Rosenior is how he will be received by fans who are growing increasingly frustrated with the club's direction. The departure of Enzo Maresca last week was met with a sense of unease among supporters, many of whom felt that their voices were not being heard. Maresca's attempts to connect with fans were seen as tokenistic, and his eventual sacking may be a symptom of a deeper issue - the perception that the club is out of touch with its own identity.
Rosenior will have to tread carefully to avoid getting caught in the crossfire. While he has more experience on his CV than Maresca did when Chelsea hired him, the fact that he is part of the same ownership structure makes fans skeptical about his ability to take on a job of this size. The pressure will be on immediately, with Chelsea competing for top four spots and facing tough fixtures in the Carabao Cup semi-final and Champions League.
For Rosenior to win over the doubters, he will need to rise to the challenge and demonstrate that he is more than just a yes-man. He needs to show that he understands the club's values and can connect with fans on a deeper level. It won't be easy, but if he can get the messaging right and deliver results, he may be able to silence some of the critics and start building a reputation as a capable manager in his own right.
Rosenior's biggest challenge won't be managing upwards, as he will be dealing with an experienced coaching staff, but rather rousing his team from their current form slump. He needs to get the best out of Cole Palmer, who has been sidelined by injury, and address Chelsea's tendency to throw away leads at home.
More worrying for Rosenior is how he will be received by fans who are growing increasingly frustrated with the club's direction. The departure of Enzo Maresca last week was met with a sense of unease among supporters, many of whom felt that their voices were not being heard. Maresca's attempts to connect with fans were seen as tokenistic, and his eventual sacking may be a symptom of a deeper issue - the perception that the club is out of touch with its own identity.
Rosenior will have to tread carefully to avoid getting caught in the crossfire. While he has more experience on his CV than Maresca did when Chelsea hired him, the fact that he is part of the same ownership structure makes fans skeptical about his ability to take on a job of this size. The pressure will be on immediately, with Chelsea competing for top four spots and facing tough fixtures in the Carabao Cup semi-final and Champions League.
For Rosenior to win over the doubters, he will need to rise to the challenge and demonstrate that he is more than just a yes-man. He needs to show that he understands the club's values and can connect with fans on a deeper level. It won't be easy, but if he can get the messaging right and deliver results, he may be able to silence some of the critics and start building a reputation as a capable manager in his own right.