‘Liam Rosenior to snub Southampton job with eye on Chelsea future’
Southampton are surely in store for more disappointment already as they look set to miss out on one of their top targets to replace Ivan Juric as manager.
This has been a dismal season for the Saints, whose relegation from the Premier League to the Championship was confirmed on Sunday (6 April) following a 3-1 defeat at Tottenham.
That ensured they became the first club to have their relegation made official with seven games of the league campaign still to be played.
It has since been confirmed that manager Ivan Juric has left Southampton having won just two of his 16 games in charge across all competitions.
In the wake of the Croatian’s exit from St Mary’s, report are already emerging around potential replacements who have been identified by the Saints.
Liam Rosenior targeted for return to England
According to talkSPORT, one of the candidates Southampton are targeting to replace Juric at St Mary’s is Liam Rosenior.
The 40-year-old was sacked by Hull City at the end of last season despite finishing seventh in the Championship just three points adrift of the play-off places.
He has since moved to France, taking charge of top-fight side Strasbourg, although it appears the Saints are now keen to lure him back to England and the Championship.
In the circumstances though it feels hard to see why Rosenior would be open to making that move, given what else could soon be on the horizon for him.
Southampton offer not an appealing one for Liam Rosenior
Since making the move to France, Rosenior has done a remarkable job with Strasbourg, guiding them to fourth in the current Ligue 1 standings.
As a result his side are currently on course to qualify for the Champions League, and it is hard to see him wanting to walk away from the chance to manage at that level for a return to the Championship.
Following their relegation, Southampton are also at risk of losing key players such as Tyler Dibling and Aaron Ramsdale.
Taking on the rebuild at St Mary’s would therefore be a tough ask in itself, and even if he did guide the club back to promotion next season, the current campaign has shown how the Saints could struggle in the top-flight.
| Liam Rosenior as Strasbourg manager | Total (as per Transfermarkt) |
| Played | 31 |
| Won | 16 |
| Drawn | 7 |
| Lost | 8 |
Chelsea fans increasingly frustrated with Enzo Maresca
Rosenior should therefore be hesitant to stake his burgeoning reputation on a move to Southampton, when he will feel his success in France may soon earn him other more appealing opportunities.
It should be noted that Strasbourg are part of the same BlueCo Group as Chelsea, who have loaned the likes of Dorde Petrovic and Andrey Santos to Rosenior’s side this season.
Both of those individuals have thrived in France, and so the 40-year-old could be putting himself in a strong position to eventually be given a chance at Stamford Bridge in the future if he continues to impress where he is.
Of course, with many Chelsea fans having called for manager Enzo Maresca to be sacked this season, there could well be an opening for Rosenior with the Blues somewhere down the line.
Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital have had an eye on implementing a coherent style across the group, with a view to players being able to move from one to another with minimal adaptation required.
But that surely also applies to managers, and may have been part of the plan all along, so if Rosenior proves more capable of implementing that style in a successful manager than the increasingly ponderous and risk-averse Maresca there is every reason to see the Englishman move into the picture.
So given the rewards on offer for him if he stays where he is right now, it is hard to imagine Rosenior will want to gamble on that, for the sort of challenge that would await him if he took charge at Southampton, so should the Saints make an approach they may need to get ready for a rejection.