As Liam Rosenior looks to avenge Chelsea’s League Cup disappointment, one of the Blues’ icons has sent a clear message to the west London board.
It’s been a trying week for Liam Rosenior (Image: 2026 James Gill – Danehouse)
Two-time Premier League winner William Gallas has appealed to Chelsea to give Liam Rosenior the same patience Arsenal have given Mikel Arteta. Rosenior, 41, has made a strong start at Stamford Bridge, winning seven of his first nine games since taking over.
The only two blemishes on his record were both against Arteta’s amputee side in the League Cup semi-finals, but Rosenior can point to the 3-2 win away to Napoli that sealed Chelsea’s place in the Champions League knockout stages. The former Brighton & Hove Albion defender will take his team to the Midlands to face bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers in their next game.
A win is essential for Rosenia, who currently hold the West Londoners in fifth place. But Gallas urged his former team to be patient with the former Strasbourg manager, even if there are bumps in the road.
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Speaking exclusively to Mirror Football at bet365’s UEFA Champions League Big Ticket Giveaway Ceremony, Gallas said: “I think what’s still very important in football is to give the new manager time and build what he wants to build.
“That’s why, for example, if you look at what has happened with Arteta’s Arsenal, he has been in charge of the club for five years. It looks like they will be champions this season.”
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“This shows that managers now need time to build their teams and bring in players who want to play in the Premier League or the Champions League. A few years ago, maybe 10, 15, 20 years ago, this was not the case, especially if you were the manager of a big club.”
“If you don’t get results after a year or two, you’re no longer a manager. But now football has changed, the players have changed, there’s a new generation, and with that new generation you have to give yourself more time.”
Gallas pointed to Arteta as an example of what managers can do when given time (Image: Chelsea FC 2026)
Mr. Gallas’ confidence is backed up by several conversations he has had with Mr. Rosenior. The former France international, who also played for Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, had many interactions with Rosenior when the English player was coaching in France.
He also remembers some of their interactions when they played with each other as players. “It was in London. We had a little conversation, and we’ve played against each other before, but it was a very short meeting,” Gallas said of their recent conversation.
Rosenior was unable to overcome Arteta in the battle between the two teams in the League Cup. It’s easy to forget that Rosenior has more managerial experience than Arteta when he was given the Arsenal job, as Arsenal are top of the Premier League and have also been active in the Champions League knockout stages.
Gallas is a big fan of Rosenior (Image: 2026 UEFA)
When the Spaniard stepped into the Emirates Stadium at the end of 2019, his only coaching experience was as Josep Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City. Arsenal finished that season in 8th place, and his first full season in the same position.
After a 5th place finish and three consecutive 2nd place finishes, they are now in pole position for promotion to the Premier League. Rosenior, meanwhile, took over the job after managing Hull City and leading Strasbourg to the Europa Conference League.
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