Former Liverpool defender and prominent pundit Steve Nicol has issued a stark warning to Liam Rosenior, who is poised to become Chelsea's new head coach.
The Two Major Challenges Awaiting Rosenior
According to Nicol, Rosenior faces two significant 'problems' upon his expected arrival at Stamford Bridge. The first is a need to comply with the directives of the club's ownership group, BlueCo. Nicol suggests this was a central factor in the departure of previous manager Enzo Maresca, who reportedly stepped down on Thursday due to tensions with the owners.
"There's a problem – You're going to have to do as you're told," Nicol stated during an appearance on ESPN. "Liam Rosenior will have to do as he's told. It's pretty clear that's why Enzo Maresca is not there."
Nicol emphasised that control over team selection is non-negotiable for any self-respecting coach. "Who's playing, who's not playing, who comes on and who comes off. You have to be in charge of that," he added, implying Maresca lacked this autonomy.
Pressure and Expectation at Stamford Bridge
The second major issue highlighted by the pundit is the immense pressure that comes with managing a club of Chelsea's stature. Nicol contrasted Rosenior's current role at Ligue 1 side Strasbourg – also owned by BlueCo – with the relentless demands in West London.
"[Another] problem he's going to have is pressure," Nicol explained. "Maresca, when he lost a couple of games, was under pressure. That's the difference between managing Strasbourg and managing Chelsea. Your job is to win. That's a different ball game."
Rosenior's Credentials and Immediate Task
The 41-year-old English coach has built a strong reputation at Strasbourg. He guided the team to a seventh-place finish last season, securing European qualification for the first time in six years.
His side also made an impressive start to the 2025-26 campaign, topping their Conference League group as one of only two unbeaten teams and winning six of their opening ten Ligue 1 matches.
With Chelsea finalising his appointment, as reported by The Telegraph, Rosenior is expected to take charge immediately. His first match could be Chelsea's Premier League fixture against Fulham on Wednesday.
Nicol concluded that while the appointment might suit the Chelsea hierarchy due to Rosenior's relative youth and perceived malleability, starting a job under such conditions is "a horrible place to start" for any manager with professional pride.
