Chelsea’s Malo Gusto supports ‘excellent coach’ Liam Rosenior
Chelsea’s Malo Gusto has come to the defense of Liam Rosenior, expressing confusion over the criticism directed at him since he took on the managerial role.
Rosenior was appointed as Chelsea’s manager in January after the club’s management decided to part ways with Enzo Maresca, even though the Italian had secured both the Club World Cup and Conference League in his inaugural season at Stamford Bridge.
The former Hull City and Brighton defender quickly became the target of memes and jokes on social media from both rival fans and Chelsea supporters.
He started his tenure positively, achieving significant victories against Atalanta away and overcoming a 2-0 halftime deficit to win 3-2 against West Ham in the Premier League.
However, recent performances have caused Chelsea to drop in the standings, and a 3-0 defeat to Everton in the last match before the international break did little to alleviate concerns regarding Rosenior’s capability to lead the club forward.
This loss followed an 8-2 aggregate defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, along with a 1-0 home loss to Newcastle, resulting in Chelsea experiencing a four-match losing streak.
Despite this, Gusto stood by Rosenior, asserting that the players fully support him.
He told ESPN: “I think he [Rosenior] is an excellent coach; I have noticed that many people have criticized him.
“I donβt really [understand the extent of the criticism] as I have worked closely with him since he joined Chelsea.
“First and foremost, he is a great person and a strong manager, and as you mentioned, he is young.
“He has a lot to offer for the future, but if he is the Chelsea manager, it is because he possesses the necessary talent.
“As I mentioned earlier, as a team, we need to have faith in him, trust in our playing style, adhere to our strategy, and see how things unfold.
– Dyche laughs off Tottenham links as Igor Tudor future remains unclear
– How Hodgson’s 44-year coaching gap at one club compares to NFL, NBA, others
– Casemiro: Man United decision is ‘made and done’ despite form
“He is a good individual, genuinely honest, and straightforward; you can see his passion for the game.
“He wants to share his enthusiasm for football with us, and I feel motivated to play for him; I want to give my best when he selects me for the pitch.”
The dismissal of Maresca surprised many, especially following the two trophies won last season and notable victories against Premier League champions Liverpool and Spanish giants Barcelona.
Gusto indicated that the players themselves were taken aback when the Italian was let go and attributed the subsequent dip in form to the managerial change.
He stated: “It was somewhat challenging for us in the middle of the season when Enzo Maresca was dismissed. A new coach coming in now represented a significant shift for the team; everyone was honestly surprised.
“But in football, such changes can occur, so we had to adjust.
“That is what we aimed to do; prior to the international break, we faced a tough few weeks in terms of results, which was not what we anticipated.
“Against PSG, there were several matches in the Premier League against Newcastle and Everton that we lost.
“It is a bit challenging [to change systems]; when you begin to grasp one approach and then immediately have to switch to another, it can be somewhat more [difficult] for us due to our relative inexperience.
“Many of us are young, but we have the quality to manage this; we just need to trust the process and do our utmost to position Chelsea where it rightfully belongs.”
