Carragher and Neville Unconvinced as Rosenior Closes In on Chelsea Role

Chelsea appear set to move for Liam Rosenior after Enzo Maresca's exit from Stamford Bridge, but two of English football's most respected voices are far from convinced it represents the right move for the troubled club.

Maresca departed last week following mounting friction between the head coach and the club's hierarchy. Rosenior, currently managing Strasbourg, has rapidly emerged as the frontrunner for the role, with transfer insider Fabrizio Romano reporting on Sunday evening that the former Hull and Derby manager had travelled to London for talks.

"Liam Rosenior arrives in London tonight ahead of Chelsea appointment," Romano posted on X. "Interview to take place in next 24h with Rosenior expected to become new #CFC head coach next week. Strasbourg looking for best replacement as key step ahead of Rosenior signing for Chelsea."

Yet Jamie Carragher believes the timing is all wrong. Speaking on Sky Sports, the pundit acknowledged his admiration for Maresca's management credentials, particularly when facing elite operators in the Premier League, but suggested the manager's downfall was inevitable given Chelsea's unwieldy structure.

"You can't start speaking out of turn at any club, but especially Chelsea who have so many sporting directors," Carragher explained. "As soon as the results started to deteriorate in the last few weeks, he didn't turn up at a press conference—this was inevitable."

The former Liverpool defender then turned his attention to Rosenior's appointment, drawing a stark contrast with Chelsea's recent managerial history. "They inherited Thomas Tuchel, a Champions League-winning manager," he noted. "It now looks like they're going to inherit Liam Rosenior, who has managed Derby, Hull and Strasbourg. It's a great opportunity for him, but Chelsea Football Club and their supporters are not used to those appointments."

Carragher stressed that the club's supporters have grown accustomed to heavyweight names—Mourinho, Hiddink, Conte—capable of delivering silverware immediately. "I don't think it's an appointment that is going to put Chelsea on to win a Premier League title or a Champions League trophy, and that's what Chelsea should be aspiring for," he said.

While acknowledging Rosenior's potential as a future top-level coach, Carragher concluded: "For me, it's just a job that's probably going to come too early to have the success that Chelsea as a football club should expect."

Gary Neville echoed those concerns, suggesting the club's approach lacks coherence. "You genuinely can't win anything with kids," he said on his Sky Sports podcast, referencing Alan Hansen's famous quote. "Chelsea need some experience in and around the club. If you have young players on the pitch I also think you need an experienced manager. But it looks like they are going to appoint another young manager again."

The pundit added: "I just think young players need some authority and guidance around them."

Rosenior's interview with Chelsea officials is expected to take place within 24 hours of his arrival in the capital, with an announcement potentially forthcoming within the week.