Liam Rosenior denies arrogance after Mourinho-style confidence as new Chelsea boss

January 10, 2026 • 0 • min read

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Liam Rosenior denies arrogance after Mourinho-style confidence as new Chelsea boss

Liam Rosenior has insisted he is "not arrogant" despite drawing comparisons with José Mourinho after delivering a confident opening press conference as Chelsea manager.

Rosenior was appointed earlier this week following Enzo Maresca's departure on New Year's Day, stepping into the Stamford Bridge hot seat with the Blues in poor domestic form.

Chelsea have won just one of their last nine Premier League matches, leaving the 41-year-old with an immediate challenge on his hands.

The former Hull City and Strasbourg boss watched from the stands as Chelsea suffered a 2-1 defeat to Fulham in midweek, with Calum McFarlane once again taking interim charge.

Marc Cucurella's first-half red card proved costly, as Raúl Jiménez opened the scoring before Harry Wilson struck late to secure victory for Marco Silva's side, despite Liam Delap briefly levelling.

The result extended Chelsea's winless league run to five matches and saw the 2025 UEFA Conference League and Club World Cup winners slip to eighth in the table, three points adrift of fourth-placed Liverpool.

'I'm Not Arrogant - I'm Good at What I Do'

Rosenior officially takes charge ahead of Chelsea's FA Cup third-round tie against Charlton Athletic, having arrived from sister club Strasbourg.

Speaking at his first press conference on Friday, he addressed perceptions surrounding his self-belief.

I am very proud to be a young English coach at one of the biggest clubs in world football.

I have made sacrifices to be away from my family. I am not arrogant, but I am good at what I do.

The Wandsworth-born tactician also revealed he had already been impressed by the attitude of his new squad after overseeing training sessions for the first time.

I'm very excited to work with this group.

I've had two wonderful days being welcomed by them and by everyone - I feel at home already. The players have been magnificent with me.

Turning Potential into Reality

Rosenior acknowledged the youthful nature of Chelsea's squad but stressed that raw talent alone will not be enough to deliver success.

They are outstanding and talented players with huge potential and the job for me is to turn that potential into reality.

Having potential is one thing, but we can't be potentially a world-class team; we need to be a world-class team. That's where I'm trying to take the club.

Praise for Reece James

The new Chelsea boss also singled out Reece James for praise, believing the Blues captain can still reach even higher levels.

I have to say that Reece, in terms of his impact on the group, in terms of his performances when he's been on the pitch, he's growing every day.

It's exciting to be working with Reece at this stage of his career because I think he has levels that he can go even beyond what he's performing now.

A Relentless January Schedule

Rosenior will have little time to ease into the role.

Chelsea face Charlton in the FA Cup on Saturday before hosting Arsenal in the first leg of their EFL Cup semi-final.

A demanding January continues with fixtures against Brentford, Pafos, Crystal Palace, Napoli and West Ham United.

With expectations high and patience in short supply, Rosenior's confidence will soon be tested, but the new Chelsea boss appears ready to embrace the pressure.

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