The reason why the bosses at Stamford Bridge were reluctant to sack Liam Rosenior was the huge price tag associated with letting him leave so early in his long contract. But now Chelsea have finally bitten the bullet – and fired him after only 107 days in charge.
The biggest problem for Chelsea is not only sporting. Rosenior knew what the club stood for, and secured a long-term deal on purpose. His contract extends all the way to 2032 – which makes the termination unusually expensive.
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Chelsea will have to fork out around €28 million!
The staggering amount shows how costly it can be to hire and fire in a panic. When Rosenior signed, it was a five-and-a-half-year contract – with an option for another year. Now he will have a severance package for large parts of that period. – That sum will go straight into the club’s bottom line and be an obstacle into the transfer market. Chelsea is one of the clubs that is on the Premier League’s “be careful” list and can risk penalties for overspending.
Shock kicking at Stamford Bridge
Chelsea fired head coach Liam Rosenior today. He was hired on January 6 as a replacement for Enzo Maresca, meaning the 41-year-old was given just 107 days to prove his worth.
“This is not a decision the club has taken lightly,” Chelsea writes in a press release.
“But the latest results and performances have fallen below the required standards.
Five straight losses – historic goal drought
Against Brighton, Chelsea suffered their fifth straight defeat in the Premier League. Even worse: The team failed to score a single goal in any of the games. It is the first time since 1912 that Chelsea have experienced such a long goalless losing streak.
The FA Cup and the European dream as the only hope
However, the club emphasizes that there is still a lot to play for this season. European qualification and the FA Cup are at stake.
“Liam has always behaved with the highest integrity and professionalism since he was appointed,” the press release reads.
Chelsea are currently in seventh place in the Premier League. The team is seven points behind Liverpool in the last Champions League place, with only five games remaining.
In the FA Cup, on the other hand, the team is in the semi-finals. Leeds awaits there this weekend – a match that has now taken on huge significance.
Temporary solution in place
Calum McFarlane will take over as interim head coach for the remainder of the season, with the support of the existing coaching staff.
Chelsea writes that they will now carry out a thorough process to find the right long-term solution. The goal is finally to create stability on the coaching side – something the club has struggled with for a long time.
Finally, the club thanks Rosenior and his staff for their efforts and wishes them the best of luck in the future. But an unbelievable €28 million in severance packages stings – even for Chelsea.
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