Chelsea have sacked Liam Rosenior after just four months and the move could lead them to a trophy under caretaker Calum McFarlane but should Newcastle be following suit
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe and Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola(Image: PA)
As the alarm bells were ringing and astronomical cheques were being drawn up at Stamford Bridge with Liam Rosenior set to pick up £24m in compensation, there was still an air of calmness down the corridors of power at St James’ Park.
As quickly as social media demanded Rosenior to be put in place, social media seems to have had the final say on Rosenior being fired. It’s a policy that Newcastle United won’t buy into – something that was made clear in the autumn after awful defeats against Brentford and West Ham.
Back then Newcastle stuck with Eddie Howe and he led them to a semi-final in the Carabao Cup and the latter stages of Europe and the FA Cup. If Howe does leave his post it will be after a thorough analysis behind the scenes.
This week, Newcastle briefed journalists that Howe retains the backing of those around him and that they will strive to provide him with what he needs.
Rosenior leaves after just four months in charge, after an initial clamour for him to come in from Strasbourg to replace Enzo Maresca in January. Despite being hailed as the perfect man for the job just a few months ago, he leaves having not even been entrusted to lead Chelsea to an FA Cup final and just days ahead of the semi-finals at Wembley against Leeds.
Chelsea also know they can’t afford to lose their grip on a European place and have acted accordingly. Should Newcastle have been more proactive the moment losing out on Europe became clear? It’s a valid question as Newcastle now face a bottom-half finish based on current form.
As the results continued to get worse at Chelsea, culminating with a dead-on-the-knees performance away to Brighton, questions on his suitability to add to the Blues’ silverware haul were increasing. Ironically, Eddie Howe’s last win as Newcastle boss came against Rosenior on a day in which Chelsea decided to surround Paul Tierney to in Rosenior’s words “protect the ball” but by then even Stamford Bridge regulars were beginning to wonder.
It is a move that will cost Chelsea £24m to compensate Rosenior after what has at times felt like a reproduction of The Office with one Brentism after another. Up the road at Newcastle, the word from the boardroom is that a “sober analysis” of the managerial situation will take place.
Liam Rosenior lasted less than four months as Chelsea head coach(Image: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC)
CEO David Hopkinson will get around the table with Howe and PIF chiefs next week to calmly assess what should come next. With a fanbase split on Howe, there are some who would welcome a drastic move like at Chelsea.
But then there are others who feel that Howe has enough credit in the bank to at least get to pre-season and have one more window. That could change if Newcastle’s alarming form continues of course.
Toon chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan has never applied pressure on Howe and may yet still stand by his man. It will be the manner and the tone of meetings next week that could determine Howe’s future.
But what is happening at Chelsea and what is happening at Newcastle is night and day. The contrast could not be more different.
Whether Newcastle have got it wrong and Chelsea are very much in the right remains to be seen. Hopkinson stated on December 1 that he wanted to be surrounded by trophies in Toon.
For all the knee-jerk reactions at Chelsea they lifted the Europa Conference League and World Club Championship in 2025. It wasn’t good enough to save Maresca.
Whatever is said behind the scenes, Todd Boehly’s approach could yet deliver the FA Cup in 2026 too. Perhaps being ruthless does deliver?
Newcastle want to be in the conversation to be the best in European football by 2030. They don’t seem to be on that pathway at the minute.
Chelsea’s statement read: “This has not been a decision the Club has taken lightly, however recent results and performances have fallen below the necessary standards with still so much more to play for this season.”
Again glancing at 2030, what are Newcastle’s necessary standards to reach the target that they issued to their public before Christmas?
They are treating Howe in a dignified manner for sure, and that is applaudable given what he has achieved. It remains to be seen what comes next for Newcastle and Howe but while Chelsea’s ruthless manner sparks some juicy football debate, it could also keep them ahead of the Magpies in the queue for silverware and European places – and more critically staying ahead in the Money League.
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