Chelsea appoint Liam Rosenior: Strasbourg fan group brands move "humiliating", claims 'French football is at stake'

Liam Rosenior's appointment as Chelsea head coach has been branded "humiliating" by a Strasbourg fan group.

There has been ongoing hostility in the stands at the French team ever since BlueCo purchased them in 2023.

Strasbourg have essentially been viewed as Chelsea's sister club since that transaction with a wide array of prospects ending up at Stade de la Meinau.

Last season, Rosenior guided Strasbourg to a seventh-placed finish in Ligue 1, subsequently securing Conference League football in the process, but tension has grown through the perception of Strasbourg being used for the long-term benefit of Chelsea.

Within hours of Rosenior conceding that he 'could not turn down Chelsea' at a press conference in France on Tuesday morning, the 40-year-old was confirmed as the new boss of the Premier League side.

Strasbourg fan group hit out at BlueCo, Keller

The Strasbourg Supporters Federation has reacted to the expected development by condemning the conduct of BlueCo and Marc Keller, who sold Strasbourg to BlueCo and remained as president.

A statement read: "The transfer of Liam Rosenior marks another humiliating step in Racing's subservience to Chelsea.

"For two and a half years, along with others, we have been trying to raise the alarm about this.

"The problem goes far beyond the mid-season sporting impact and the ambitions of a young coach. It is structural; the future of French club football is at stake.

"Every additional contortion by Marc Keller, every extra minute spent at the helm of the club, is an insult to the tremendous work accomplished before 2023.

"What was seen by many as an outrageous move last September increasingly looks like sound advice: he must leave. Now.

"The FSRCS will coordinate closely with the three other associations actively fighting against multiple ownership, as well as all people of goodwill, to define the next steps."

Rosenior claims Chelsea have not been 'disrespectful' to Strasbourg

At his media briefing, Rosenior dismissed suggestions that Chelsea or himself had been 'disrespectful' towards Strasbourg.

Rosenior claimed that it was no different to a club like Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid or Barcelona hand-picking their preferred head coach.

From Strasbourg's perspective, however, their reaction is understandable, regardless of their performances on the pitch and world-class young talent viewing them as an attractive proposition.

Unless UEFA and FIFA modify multi-club ownership regulations, any concerns are likely to fall on deaf ears.