Liam Rosenior avoids social media. But his family makes sure he doesn’t miss out on the memes that flood social media, which he finds amusing.
Recalling Graham Potter’s face swap earlier this season, there are fewer and fewer people in football who are exempt from meme culture, but Rosenior’s is particularly quick to catch on.
Since stepping foot at Stamford Bridge for the first time just three weeks ago, Chelsea’s new head coach’s mannerisms, quotes and even his glasses have been largely the subject of light-hearted ridicule, with comparisons to two of his more talked about takes on The Office’s David Brent and The Inbetweeners’ Will.
Speaking live on Sky Sports this Saturday, Rosenior, who is looking to build on his bright start in west London with six wins in seven games against West Ham, said that although the latest jibe was a backwater for Ducks, he had spoken to his family about the increased interest in his new job.
“It doesn’t affect me because I’m about three or four years too old and I don’t do social media,” he told Sky Sports. “My kids love it and when they see a funny picture of Will or David Brent from The Inbetweeners they send it to me and laugh. They love it!”
“I was once told that I had decent dress sense. My daughter thought it was funny. She hates my dress sense!”
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Rosenior told reporters at a press conference on Friday that Chelsea could be looking to add more players before the transfer window closes.
“(The increased scrutiny) will have an impact on your family. I have had discussions with them to enjoy a great experience for me and I hope they can have some really special days at this club.”
“I don’t think about it. If I’m thinking about what people think about me and what they’re saying in the media and press, I can miss a lot here. The work I have to do here is enough.”
“My motivation is just to make this club as successful as possible and win the next game. All of my energy and time is focused on the players, the team, the way we have team meetings and the way we train.”
“Anything else is just noise and I can’t influence it other than winning football games.”
Rosenior achieved that in style in the opening month of the Premier League, leaving a significant mark in Europe with a 3-2 win over Napoli in midweek, helping Chelsea finish in the top eight of the Champions League league stage and secure a place in the Round of 16 in March.
The win was underpinned by a tactical adjustment at half-time after Rosenior’s initial switch to a back three backfired, but the head coach felt it was more than a change in game plan to help his team bounce back.
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Watch highlights of Chelsea’s latest Premier League win, last Sunday’s 3-1 win at Crystal Palace, for free
He said, “When you make a decision in soccer, 20% is tactical, 20% is emotional, 20% is energy, 20% is the opponent’s system, so many things come together to make that decision.
“I don’t think we were that far away in the first half, but we didn’t take care of the ball and our energy level was low because we were chasing the ball a lot longer than expected.
“People talk about the change in tactics, but the team’s resilience, their spirit was a contributing factor to their performance in the second half.”
What Rosenior couldn’t argue with was Joao Pedro’s influence at Napoli. The Brazilian striker has scored four goals with two goals in five starts under his new head coach.
The Chelsea manager has sought to foster an honest and critical relationship with the club’s top scorer since taking over as part of the club’s wider open door policy to their Cobham training ground.
“Everyone will be talking about Joao because of his performances in the last two games. He was top at Palace and obviously great at Napoli,” said Rosenior.
Joao Pedro’s double gave Chelsea a come-from-behind victory over Napoli in midweek.
“We spent a lot of time getting to know the players and what makes them tick. Me and Joan have had some interesting conversations so far.
“Sometimes there’s a little friction, there’s a little love. I need them to tell me the truth, I don’t mind the players knocking on my door.”
“I want to have a real conversation. It’s not about being best friends. You have to have a certain amount of vulnerability and strength, and Joan showed that in her performance.”
Watch Chelsea vs West Ham live on Sky Sports Premier League from 5pm on Saturday (kick-off 5.30pm).
