Liam Rosenior’s ill-fated reign as Chelsea manager has come to an end, with the Englishman sacked after a dismal 3-0 defeat away at Brighton on April 21st. The away end at the AmEx for that disastrous display turned visibly toxic, with fans clamouring for the former Strasbourg man to be shown the exit door, and ultimately, they got their wish. But truthfully, there was no other option.
The defeat on the south coast was the Blues’ fifth straight defeat without scoring a single goal. That hadn’t happened since the year the Titanic sank back in 1912.
Lack of Respect Spells the End
Reports have suggested that Rosenior never truly had the backing of his young squad, despite hitting the ground running when he first took over. He led the club to four straight Premier League wins but lost his way after that. Rumours suggest some players referred to their manager as “the supply teacher,” while fans on social media were often sharing memes.
Chelsea finally decided to part ways with the former Hull City boss, relieving him of his duties after just a little over three months in charge.
The West London club must rally around interim manager Calum McFarlane, who will take over until the end of the season. It’s the second time this term that the 40-year-old has taken charge of the first team, having also stepped up following the departure of Enzo Maresca earlier in the campaign.
He won the FA Cup semi-final against Leeds United but that was followed by a toothless defeat to Nottingham Forest, mathematically ending Chelsea’s hopes of a Champions League spot. Now, the question is, can they finish in the top six? The Lucky Rebel platform lists Chelsea as a 5/2 outsider to finish in the top six this term, with Brighton considered a firm favourite at 5/4.
So, with the reign of Rosenior now in the history books, where does the axed manager rank in terms of the shortest ever tenures in charge of the Blues? Let’s take a look.
Liam Rosenior: 104 Days
Rosenior’s sacking makes him officially Chelsea’s shortest-serving manager of all time, with a reign of just 104 days. He first took over on January 6th, following the shock departure of Club World Cup-winning boss Enzo Maresca, and the appointment appeared to be an inspired decision when he reeled off four straight wins to begin.
Since the fourth of those wins against Wolves on February 7th, however, the Blues won just one in their next nine, including losing five in a row without scoring a single goal in the Premier League.
The Champions League didn’t provide any welcome respite either. Chelsea were knocked out in the Round of 16 by reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain after suffering a 5-2 defeat at the Parc Des Princes before losing 3-0 in the second leg at Stamford Bridge. The 3-0 defeat at Brighton saw the Blues fail to register a single shot on target, and the board were forced to make a tough choice.
Graham Potter: 206 Days
Rosenior isn’t the only Englishman to suffer a dismal, short-lived reign in the Stamford Bridge hot seat. It’s a pain that the current Sweden national team manager, Graham Potter, knows only too well. He took charge back in September 2022 after Thomas Tuchel was shockingly sacked barely a year on from leading the club to UEFA Champions League glory. After an impressive spell in charge of Brighton, many were optimistic that his ideas would translate over to the Chelsea squad.
Unfortunately, however, much like Rosenior, he never truly gained the respect of the dressing room, the press, or the fans.
Much like Rosenior, Potter would enjoy a solid start. He went nine games unbeaten at the start of his tenure, picking up wins against the likes of Aston Villa and West Ham in the Premier League, as well as beating AC Milan home and away in the Champions League. But it wouldn’t take long for the wheels to come off.
Between October and February, Potter could only lead his team to two wins in 15, a dismal run that saw Chelsea tumble down the table. They would remain alive in Europe, rallying from 1-0 down to defeat Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in the Champions League Round of 16. But after a 2-0 defeat at home to Aston Villa, which saw the Blues fall to 11th in the table, the board felt they could no longer continue with the former Östersunds manager in charge, dismissing him after 206 days in the role.
Luiz Felipe Scolari: 223 Days
Brazilian World Cup winner Luiz Felipe Scolari was always the man that Roman Abramovich wanted as his Chelsea manager. In the summer of 2008, after numerous failed attempts, the club’s former owner would finally get his wish, snapping up ‘Big Phil’ for a reported £8m per year.
Abramovich would back his new boss in the transfer market with the additions of iconic Portuguese midfielder Deco and FC Porto full-back Jose Bosingwa. And much like both Potter and Rosenior, Scolari’s reign would start impeccably. Ten wins and just one defeat throughout his first 14 games in charge had the Blues sitting at the top of the table and looking like genuine title favourites. But throughout the festive period, Chelsea would falter.
A run of just four wins across the next 11 games, including defeats against Arsenal, Manchester United, and Liverpool, saw the Blues fall to fourth in the table. The 2-0 defeat at Anfield ultimately cost the Brazilian his job, axed after 223 days in charge.
Guus Hiddink would then take over and lead the club to third place, the Champions League semifinals, and an FA Cup win.
