Chelsea Football Club have dismissed head coach Liam Rosenior after just 107 days in charge, bringing an abrupt end to a turbulent and short-lived reign marked by a severe dip in form and mounting pressure from supporters.
The decision follows a run of seven defeats in the last eight matches, including a 3-0 Premier League loss to Brighton & Hove Albion that triggered audible chants from sections of travelling fans calling for his removal.
Rosenior, who publicly apologised after that defeat while describing his side’s display as “indefensible”, “unacceptable” and “unprofessional”, leaves with Chelsea’s season rapidly unravelling.
Chelsea have confirmed that Calum McFarlane will take charge of the first team on an interim basis for the remainder of the season, beginning with Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final against Leeds United at Wembley.
McFarlane previously stepped in earlier in the campaign following the departure of Enzo Maresca, overseeing a 1-1 draw with Manchester City and a 2-1 defeat at Fulham, and will now again be tasked with stabilising the squad during a critical period.
The club stated that no formal talks have yet been held with potential permanent candidates and that no shortlist has been drawn up.
In an official statement, Chelsea said they would “undertake a process of self-reflection to make the right long-term appointment”, signalling a broader reassessment of their managerial strategy.
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Rosenior’s appointment in January had initially been viewed as an ambitious and unexpected move, particularly given his arrival from Strasbourg, who are also owned by Chelsea’s parent company BlueCo.
He signed a six-year contract upon joining, but his tenure quickly deteriorated amid inconsistent performances and defensive fragility.
During his spell in charge, Chelsea endured a five-match run of Premier League defeats without scoring, their worst such sequence since 1912, severely damaging hopes of Champions League qualification.
The club currently sit seventh in the table, seven points behind fifth-placed Liverpool, who still hold a game in hand.
Cup competitions offered brief respite, with wins over Charlton Athletic, Hull City, and Wrexham on penalties in the FA Cup, followed by a dominant 7-0 victory over Port Vale that secured their place in the semi-finals. However, those highs were overshadowed by heavy setbacks in the Carabao Cup semi-finals against Arsenal and a comprehensive 8-2 aggregate defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last-16.
Rosenior also retained McFarlane within his coaching staff after taking over, but ultimately failed to reverse Chelsea’s declining trajectory, with performances increasingly under scrutiny from both supporters and analysts.
McFarlane, who had previously worked within Chelsea’s youth setup, now inherits a side under intense pressure ahead of a season-defining FA Cup semi-final against Leeds United, as the club enters yet another period of transition in search of long-term stability at managerial level.