Liam Rosenior to bring trusted Strasbourg lieutenants with him to Chelsea

Liam Rosenior will not be arriving at Stamford Bridge alone.

Chelsea’s incoming manager has confirmed that three key members of his Strasbourg coaching staff will be joining him in west London, ensuring continuity as he begins work following Enzo Maresca’s departure on New Year’s Day.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday morning, Rosenior revealed he has reached a verbal agreement to take over the vacant Chelsea managerial role, bringing an end to his 18-month spell in Ligue 1. Strasbourg, like Chelsea, are owned by the BlueCo investment group, and Rosenior had quickly emerged as the frontrunner to succeed Maresca.

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Cisse, Walker and Warner set to follow Rosenior to Stamford Bridge

Rosenior confirmed that Kalifa Cisse, Justin Walker, and Ben Warner will all be part of his Chelsea backroom team.

Cisse, who has served as Rosenior’s assistant and media translator, sat alongside the manager during his final Strasbourg press conference. Rosenior was keen to stress that Cisse’s role goes far beyond translation.

“He’s not just a translator,” Rosenior said. “He’s an unbelievable guy.

Without Kalifa… honestly, as a person, I’ve never met anyone with such extreme values and emotional intelligence. He’s been fantastic for me — he’s my manager.

Sadly for Strasbourg and the players, I will be taking Kalifa with me on the next phase.”

Rosenior added:

“At the moment, the agreement is that Kalifa, Justin and Ben will be coming with me.”

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A partnership built over nearly two decades

Rosenior’s relationship with Cisse stretches back almost 20 years, to when the pair both signed for Reading in 2007. Cisse began his coaching career in Australia in 2019 before returning to Europe, eventually becoming a vital part of Rosenior’s staff at Strasbourg.

At the French club, Cisse played a crucial role in bridging the gap between Rosenior and the French-speaking players, helping foster strong relationships within the squad. The two even lived together in Strasbourg, with Rosenior’s family remaining in the UK during his time abroad.

Speaking to The Times last year, Rosenior highlighted Cisse’s importance both professionally and personally:

“He’s a godsend, and helped me connect with the players and understand them better.

At home he cooks, cleans, and washes up for me. He won’t be happy with me saying that!”

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Walker: a long-standing ally

Assistant coach Justin Walker has worked alongside Rosenior throughout much of his coaching journey. After impressing in Derby County’s academy, Walker became first-team development coach under Phillip Cocu in 2020, when Rosenior was already part of the senior coaching staff.

Rosenior admired Walker’s work and brought him to Hull City in November 2022 when he became manager there. Walker followed again in July 2024 when Rosenior took charge at Strasbourg, and now the pair will reunite once more at Chelsea.

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Warner completes the trio

On the analysis side, Ben Warner has also established himself as a trusted figure within Rosenior’s setup.

Warner first worked with Rosenior at Derby County, later joining Hull City just weeks after Rosenior’s appointment. He began his career at Nottingham Forest while completing a Master’s degree at Nottingham Trent University, before spending seven years at Derby — the final three as head of analysis.

When Warner joined Hull in 2022, he spoke openly about the pull of working with Rosenior and Walker again:

“To work with Liam and Justin again was a big pull and I know how valued I am in the process.”

Rosenior brought the 32-year-old with him to Strasbourg and was keen to ensure Warner would also be part of his Chelsea coaching staff as preparations begin this week.

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With Rosenior arriving alongside trusted lieutenants who understand his methods, Chelsea will hope the continuity provides a strong foundation as the club looks to steady itself following another turbulent managerial change.