Every word Liam Rosenior said on taking Chelsea job, trophy ambitions and angry fans

The full transcript from Liam Rosenior’s first press conference as Chelsea head coach with the 41-year-old speaking ahead of the Blues’ FA Cup third round trip to Charlton Athletic

Liam Rosenior has just completed his first press conference as Chelsea head coach. The 41-year-old, who was appointed as the new Blues boss last week, has just faced a room full of media for the first time ahead of his debut in the dugout against Charlton Athletic on Saturday evening.

There were plenty of questions for Rosenior, who spoke about the appointment and his plans at Stamford Bridge. Here is every word Rosenior had to say:

What do you think the biggest challenge is going to be for you over the next few months?

I think the biggest challenge in any club, in any team, is making sure you create the right culture, you create the right spirit, you have the right values. The reality at this football club, the talent levels that I’ve seen in the last two days of training, the ability of the players is world-class. I’ve got a fantastic group to work with, which I’m very excited about.

Winning teams are consistent when they have a good spirit, when they have a good energy, when they fight for each other, when they put pride in the shirt. I think that’s my job now. I think the previous coach, Enzo [Maresca], has done a fantastic job with these players tactically. They’re a very good team already. Now it’s my job to try and take it to the next level. Me and my staff are going to work really hard with that.

Clearly this job works within a structure that’s quite different maybe from other clubs. How helpful is it for you to have had that understanding of it, to know where those boundaries are, to know where you can push and where you can’t push?

I think that’s the same at every football club. Every football club is unique in the way that it works. I’ve had, I have to say, my time at Strasbourg is the best 18 months of my professional career, of my life, the experiences that I’ve had, what I’ve learned, the people I’ve met and the people I work with here. I can say the guys I’ve worked with here, in terms of the overall project, have been nothing but supportive to me. They’ve given me confidence, have allowed me to make mistakes, have allowed me to learn. There’s always going to be speculation about how these things work. I’ve enjoyed every moment and I intend to fully enjoy this next step in my career with them and hopefully bring everyone at the club success.

Such a high turnover of managers. Anyone give you advice before taking the job?

I think the turnover of managers now, regardless of club, is huge. The pressure is there from day one. I’m aware of that. If I wasn’t willing to take on that pressure or that privilege, I think the bigger club you’re at, the higher the pressure but the higher the privilege. I have to take that into account. So for me, I’m looking forward to it. I can’t wait. I can’t wait for tomorrow night. I couldn’t wait to get here when we agreed the deal and meet the players and meet the staff who have been nothing but supportive, made me feel at home. It comes with the territory. If you’re scared or if you’re fearful, then there’s no point being a coach. I’ve worked so hard pretty much my whole life for this opportunity.

So now I’m just going to enjoy it, which is important. I’m going to work 24 hours a day. I’m intense when I’m with the players and I’m going to push them as hard as I possibly can to be successful.

What did you learn from watching from the stands vs Fulham, apart from the fact that you might need to just avoid some of those red cards and maybe the yellow ones that followed?

Yeah, I think what I learned the most, I thought Calum [McFarlane], who now I’m delighted has joined our coaches, has done an incredible job in terms of the performance. Obviously, it’s very disappointing to lose any game. What I loved was the fact 70 minutes, the lads played with 10 men, played with real energy, played with passion, created chances. At times it looked like we still had 11 men on the pitch. They were really, really positive signs for me. Obviously, the result is not what we want, but there’s a lot of really, really good building blocks that Callum’s put in. After the lads rightfully so were disappointed to lose their previous coach, which I would expect every group of decent people would be upset when their coach leaves the football club.

Have you got to address the discipline issues with the players?

It’s one of the few things that, yeah, for sure we can improve on. I know how we do that. I’ve spoken to the players in a different way about managing setbacks, because in life you get setbacks, not just in football. What we have, they show passion, they show emotion for the show, which is a really positive thing. It’s making sure that in key moments we react positively to a setback. We stay calm. But I think those mistakes, if you want to call it, come from passion. The lads want to win. So I don’t want to take that out of them at the same time. So there’s a fine balance between going overboard. To win, you can’t be nice all the time. You have to have an edge. And I don’t want to take that away from the lads.

How surprised are you that this group of players has won one game from the last nine in the league?

That’s an incredible run. It’s a tough run. It’s a tough league. And we’re not the only club that’s going to go through a difficult period of the season. Every club does. Top teams, of which we are top clubs, go through different spells and different periods in the season. Hopefully, I can add my own ideas, my own stamp, my own voice. Sometimes a different voice helps. But the players haven’t been far away. Manchester City was an outstanding performance. Second half, could have gone on to win the game. Against Fulham, we were down to 10 men for 70 minutes. We’re in the game, in a really, really difficult place to go. We’re not far away. And that’s really, really important for the players to know.

You touched on it a moment ago, but in this job, actually in any big football job, can you actually be your own man with influences? How difficult a balancing act is it?

I don’t think it’s possible to ever be in this job and not be your own man. People will see through you straight away. I will make the decisions at this football club. That’s why I’ve been brought in. I understand. I’m not an alien. I know what’s being said in the press. But there’s no way you can be successful as a manager if you don’t make the decisions for yourself. And the great thing for me is I’ve experienced working in this setup. The guys have been nothing but supportive for me at Strasbourg. We’ve had huge success at that club from where the project started. And I intend to work exactly the same way here.

What are the aims and the ambitions sitting here now for the season? What would be a successful season?

I’ve said to the players, focus on winning the next game. Focus on winning the next game and winning the next game and winning the next game. And that’s how you go on a run. And with the talent that we have, and actually not just the talent, the level of professionalism of the group, the intensity at which they’ve trained the last two days, their engagement to something new, there’s really, really positive signs here. And I never limit the ambitions of my group.

We’ve got world-class players here. We’ve got players who have won World Cups. The lads won the Club World Cup a matter of months ago. And I watched that game and they were absolutely magnificent against PSG. The potential for this club, for this group is limitless. And I won’t limit, I won’t limit limitlessness. You know, I want to be successful. I’m ambitious. People know that about me. But I always have to make sure we get from where we are to where we need to be and that takes time. I’m not asking for too much time. But at the same time, you need to make sure you know where your process is headed.

When you were at Derby or Hull, thinking of managing Chelsea within two years, was that always something you thought was possible?

I just said you don’t limit your ambitions. I’m not arrogant. I’m good at what I do. I’m good at what I do. And in every job that I’ve worked, whether it was as an interim, as an assistant, as a head coach or a manager, whatever you want to call it, relative to the group I’ve worked with, I’ve been successful. So for me, I’ve always wanted to be at a club like this. But it’s not about just being here. It’s about being successful. So this is the beginning for me. I’m going to give it everything. Nobody can guarantee wins. Nobody can guarantee success. But at the same time, I’ve worked very, very hard for a long time to try and put myself in a position where I can be successful.

Keith Andrews is proving people wrong at Brentford…

Yeah, but Keith’s a great guy. I worked with him in media duties. When he was appointed as manager of Brentford, I wasn’t surprised now at the success he’s having. It’s the same thing with young players, young managers. Unless you give people an opportunity, how can they show what they can do? You always have to start somewhere. For me, I’m very proud to be a young English coach who’s now at one of the biggest clubs in world football. But there’s hard work, determination, sacrifice. I’ve sacrificed hours with my family. I’ve been away from my family for 18 months. I’ve sacrificed time in terms of my coaching education, my career. You have to give people a chance for them to show what they can do. And that translates to the way that I will do that here. I will give my young players a chance to show, to grow, because potential is amazing when it’s realised. And hopefully I can realise my own potential.

Apart from the language, what’s the difference between coaching in England and France?

The great thing I learned, not much. People are people. That’s one of the best things I learned about going abroad. Yes, the language, the culture. France is a beautiful country. It’s a fantastic league. I think it’s a league that hasn’t been given the credit it deserves, tactically or in terms of the ability of the players. PSG won the Champions League last season. So I learned many things there, but I would say the biggest thing I learned is when you connect with people, they all have the same needs. It doesn’t matter where you’re from. It doesn’t matter your background. You all have the same needs. You need to feel like you’re a part of something. And that’s what I want to create here.

I get the impression being a Premier League manager, the last word that comes with that is enjoyment…

Why?

Because it’s high pressure…

My friend, I’m so fortunate. I’m working with some outstanding, talented players. I’m paid well. I’m lucky to be in a job. Pressure is a privilege. There are many people in the world who would love to be in my shoes, and I try to remember that every day with humility. So, yeah, I’m going to enjoy it. It’s going to be difficult moments. It’s not going to be all smooth sailing, but if you don’t enjoy what you do, you don’t do it at your best. And I want the fans to enjoy watching the team play, footballers to be enjoyed, and I definitely want my players to enjoy what they do as well.

I spoke to Nathan Jones, the Charlton manager, yesterday and he was gushing with praise for you. Is it weird coming up against a friend in your first game?

Yeah, Nathan’s top. He’s had an outstanding career as a manager. It’s going to be a very difficult game tomorrow. They play with real intensity. They’re very, very difficult to play against. I’ve watched a lot of their recent games. It’s going to be a typical English cup tie third round in January, and my players need to be able to stand up to that intensity. You know, that’s the first thing in football. It’s all about systems, tactics. You have to win the battle. You have to win duels. You have to win headers. You have to run, and that’s the message I’ve given to the players over the last two days.

What does it mean to you to be Chelsea head coach?

I’m just very proud to be sat here as Chelsea head coach in front of you. I’ve worked very hard. For a long time. And for me, I’m very fortunate. I’m mixed heritage. My mum’s white, my dad’s black, West African. It doesn’t matter where you’re from, your background, your gender, just to be appreciated for what they can bring. And if I can be successful, then maybe it breaks down a few things. It is at the furthest fore of my mind right now. I just want to be myself and I want to be successful in every minute that I’m here. And yeah, it’s a great thing, but if I think too much about that, I’m not focused on the enormous job that’s in front of me.

What’s Chelsea’s best chance of winning a trophy this season?

Try and win every game that you play. That’s the reality. If you start pinpointing and saying one competition is more important than the other, that’s crazy. You have to compete every day in training. You have to try and win it every time you train. You have to try and win every game that you play. And if you think too far ahead, that’s when you fall. So for me, the focus is Charlton and trying to put a run together of results that puts it in a really good place. But I’m not thinking too far ahead. We just have to focus on the here and now.

A lot of people have said they like analytics, they like watching 50 games of another manager and opponent. Are you like that?

We have a very strong process here. I’m quite collaborative with my staff. So I’m open to different ideas. I only have one set of eyes, but I make sure with my set of eyes, I’m watching as much as possible. I analyse a lot of games. I work very much on our own performance as well. That will continue here. I want us to be dominant. I want us to have a strong identity where people enjoy what they see from us. But at the same time, you have to be tactically adaptable. And I work with my staff. I have an outstanding staff in with me. We have very strong processes with the group as well in how we deliver the games to the players, which they’ve learned today. We’ll get used to that. There’s a lot of detail that goes into that. And yeah, everybody’s different. I want to focus on the strengths of my team, but also counteract the strengths of the opposition and that’s the way we’ll continue to work.

Your goalkeepers often played higher up the pitch at Strasbourg. Is that something you will look to implement at Chelsea?

Every team is different. You work to the ability of your players. You work to what their strengths are. I’m very fortunate. Both Jorgensen and Sanchez are world-class goalkeepers with their feet, which absolutely suits the way I want to play. But I’m not going to come in here on the first day and say to Rob to play from the halfway line or for Filipe to play from the halfway. It takes time, it’s a process. I feel very confident. I can bring the best out of my group in different areas and different aspects. Playing one way with one team is different to playing another way with another. I can be adaptable. It’s about my players and their strengths.

The away fans at Fulham, it was quite toxic. I think it might continue. What’s your message to them in terms of trying to win them over and trying to get them behind the team and focus on that?

I think a club of this stature, the fans want success and they have every right to want success now. This club is ingrained in the history of winning trophies, especially in recent history, winning titles or winning Champions Leagues. The fans should have those demands and those standards. My job, to win over the fans, I need to win games of football. To win over the fans, I think they need to see a team that represents them. I know this area well. I was born not far up the road. It’s about hard work.

It’s about determination, spirit. I remember playing at Stamford Bridge when Jose Mourinho’s team were at their very best and it was so difficult physically. John Terry, [Ricardo] Carvalho, Paulo Ferreira, [Michael] Essien, [Claude] Makelele, [Didier] Drogba, Joe Cole, who’s here. He’s in the room. At the back, he’s waving over. There was a physicality about the team. There was a winning mentality about the team and that’s what the fans demand. We’re trying to build something in a different way. I’m very, very confident that in time, we’ll show people why we’ve done it this way. My job is to move that forward and try and get this club to that place where it teams really, really fear coming to Stamford Bridge and the fans really, really look forward to every game that we play.

You obviously experienced similar in Strasbourg. Does that help you?

Yeah, I’ll be honest. When I went in at Strasbourg, I was a joke in the media. They said that my team would finish last. It was an impossible project, that the players were way too young, too inexperienced. I was a nobody from England. We finished, I think, three points outside the Champions League. The outside noise is just noise. If you focus on the job, you focus on your players and your staff and your process, I feel like you can do amazing things. I’m not promising it. I’m working towards it, but I believe very strongly that we can be successful here.

Will working with young players at Strasbourg help you here?

Firstly, other than Ben Chilwell, who was magnificent at 28, all I had at Strasbourg were young players and they were a joy to work with. I’ve worked with senior players. I remember having a great relationship with Phil Jagielka, who was 41 at the time of Derby, with Curtis Davies, who was 38. Age is one thing. It’s your ability to learn. It’s wanting to be engaged in something. I’m not going to sit here and talk about my strength as a coach. My job is to show it on the pitch, on a match day and in training, delivering the very highest quality of sessions and meetings to the players. I will let other people speak for me. It’s not for me to speak about my own strengths.

What similarities do you see to what you had to work at Strasbourg and what you’re going to work with here?

Some outstanding, talented players with huge potentials, but the job for me is to turn the potential into reality. There’s a lot of similarities in the recruitment of both projects. There’s an idea about the way the team should play and I fit into that. For me, I’m very excited to get to work with this group. I’ve had two wonderful days being welcomed in by everyone. I feel at home already. The players have been magnificent with me and their engagement and how they’ve made me and my staff feel at home. Now, I want to get onto the games with them.

Will the leadership group be the same? And is Reece James a midfielder or a full-back?

He’s a very, very good player. He’s a very good player. Good players can play in many different positions. Obviously, I’ve analysed the recent games that we’ve played before I’ve come in and I have to say Reece, in terms of his impact on the group, in terms of his performances when he’s been on the pitch, I think he’s growing every day. He’s growing every day and it’s exciting to be working with Reece at this stage of his career now because I think he has levels. It’s an exciting thing for Reece. He has levels that he can go to even beyond what he’s performing now.

I think that’s where a lot of these players are. It’s always difficult when a manager, and Enzo’s been very successful here in his own way, in terms of winning two trophies. When a manager leaves, the group should be disappointed. It’s a bad thing if a manager leaves a club and the players aren’t disappointed, then there’s something wrong. What I’ve learned in the last two days, not just about Reece or the leadership group, all of them, they want success. All of them are honest. They’ve worked magnificently for me the last two days and I can’t wait to get to know them better and to try and help them in their leadership to come here for a long time.

Can you find a bad quality in the squad that maybe you need to work on?

Are you talking about a negative?

Yeah, negative qualities…

Of course you are. You’re a journalist [laughs]. I would say I don’t speak about negatives. I think the biggest hurdle we have is realising the huge potential that we have in the group, realising it. Having more potential is one thing. I’m potentially a very good coach. Some of my players already are world-class players. We need to not be a potentially world-class team. We need to be a world-class team. That’s where I’m trying to take the club.