Wayne Rooney: Liam Rosenior is as good a coach as I have ever worked with

Liam Rosenior, right, worked under Wayne Rooney at Derby. Picture: Richard Sellers/PA

Wayne Rooney believes Liam Rosenior has served his “apprenticeship” and is ready to take the reins at Chelsea.

Rosenior looks set to quit his position as Strasbourg head coach and replace Enzo Maresca at Chelsea after arriving into west London on Sunday ahead of a meeting with the Blues’ hierarchy.

Having worked as an assistant to Rooney at Derby before taking interim charge in 2022 when the former England captain left the club, Rosenior had two years as Hull boss before being sacked in 2024 despite leading the Tigers to the brink of the Sky Bet Championship play-offs.

The 41-year-old Englishman has impressed in his 18 months at Strasbourg, who have the same owners as Chelsea, but now looks set to depart the Ligue 1 club to take his most high-profile job to date.

Liam Rosenior was appointed Strasbourg head coach in July 2024 (Steve Welsh/PA)

And Rooney said on the BBC’s Wayne Rooney Show: “If he goes in there, he won’t disappoint. He’s been waiting for an opportunity like this.

“If you don’t take it now, then you’re never going to take it. And I think he’s done his apprenticeship, he’s done his work to try and get to that job.

“So he’ll have no doubts in his mind that he’s capable of doing that job. And hopefully, very soon, we hear that he is the manager, because for young English coaches I think it’s massive.

“He’s taken chances and hopefully that pays off because I think Liam is as good a coach as I’ve ever worked with. His detail, how he approaches the day-to-day, he’s as good as I’ve worked with.”