Former Chelsea skipper John Terry has fired back at a fan who claimed he was not ‘qualified’ to replace Enzo Maresca at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea confirmed on New Year’s Day that Maresca had stepped down from his role as head coach, leaving the Blues without a manager ahead of their trip to Manchester City.
The Italian previously suggested there were issues behind the scenes after Chelsea’s win over Everton last month, highlighting a lack of ‘support’ during what he described as his ‘worst 48 hours’ in charge.
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A sharp downturn in performances followed during a difficult festive schedule, and the 45-year-old opted to walk away with the club sitting fifth in the Premier League standings.
In the days that followed, Liam Rosenior, who was in charge of BlueCo-owned Strasbourg, emerged as the clear frontrunner to replace interim boss Calum McFarlane.
And in an official statement this morning, Rosenior was announced as Chelsea’s new head coach, bringing an end to the uncertainty ahead of Wednesday’s meeting with Fulham.
‘On Saturday, I didn’t know what was going to happen. What has happened since is that I have been allowed to speak with one of the biggest clubs in the world. Now, on this day, it looks like I’m going to be the next manager of that football club,’ Rosenior said before the club made the announcement.
‘This opportunity for me is something that I cannot turn down in my life right now. ‘They have an incredible squad, an incredible fanbase and they are Club World Cup champions.
‘I haven’t signed yet, I’ve agreed verbally with Chelsea. Everything is agreed, it will probably go through in the next few hours.
‘I’m here because I care about this club and I thought it was important to answer your questions before I go on with the next stage of my career.’
Before Rosenior’s appointment was confirmed, speculation was rife over Maresca’s successor, with Terry among several names loosely mentioned as a possible option at Stamford Bridge.
Terry has been without a full-time role since leaving Leicester City in July 2023, where he spent a brief spell as assistant to Dean Smith.
The former England defender had also worked as Smith’s assistant at Aston Villa for three years before following him to the King Power Stadium.
More recently, Terry has taken on a part-time position helping to coach and mentor young players within Chelsea’s academy system.
‘I have every qualification going, I have 3 years coaching experience in the Premier League with Aston Villa,’ Terry said when responding to a TikTok user who insisted he wasn’t ‘qualified’ to take over from Maresca.
‘On top of that nobody is more Chelsea than me. ‘For us to be top again we need a top manager and yes that would rule me out but please don’t say I’m under qualified! [blue love heart emoji]’
The five-time Premier League winner has previously spoken openly about his frustration at the lack of ‘opportunities’ he has encountered while trying to move into elite management.
‘My passion has not diminished at all. Of course I want to be a manager,” he told The Daily Mirror last June. ‘It’s time-consuming, I’m watching games, re-watching games and I’m doing courses, I’m spending so much time waiting for this opportunity.
‘The longer it goes on, the more likely I will just have to draw a line and say: “You know what? I’m going to focus on other things.”‘
Terry was also strongly linked with the Oxford United job after Gary Rowett was sacked last month.
However, the 2012 Champions League winner quickly shut down the speculation, telling fans online: ‘I’ve certainly not approached Oxford, not spoken to anybody at all, so I just want to completely rule myself out of it.
‘I wish Oxford and whoever goes in as manager all the very best, but it certainly won’t be me.’
