Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior has made it clear that jokes and memes circulating about him online won’t distract him from the job at hand, insisting he is comfortable in his own skin as he enjoys a flying start at Stamford Bridge.
According to BBC Sport, the Blues boss has won seven of his first nine matches since taking charge, but his energetic touchline behaviour and unique personality have sparked comparisons on social media with popular TV characters such as The Inbetweeners’ Will McKenzie and The Office’s David Brent.
Unfazed by the online chatter, Rosenior said he is not even active on social media and usually hears about the jokes from his teenage children.
“I’m not afraid to be myself,” he said. “If I wear glasses, if I sound a bit over the top when I speak, or if I don’t look like a typical manager, it really doesn’t bother me at all.”
While admitting that the memes sometimes affect his family, the former Strasbourg coach noted that such reactions were expected when he accepted one of football’s most high-profile jobs.
“The reason I know about it is because I’ve got teenage children. They’re on social media,” Rosenior explained. “It affects them, it affects my parents and family, but I knew this would happen. It’s normal.”
He added that mental strength is essential in modern football management.
“When you’re prepared for it, you can smile about it. I’m a confident person. If things like that affect you, then you shouldn’t be in this job.”
Rosenior’s appointment in January, following Enzo Maresca’s departure, initially raised eyebrows, but he has quickly silenced doubters with results. The 40-year-old has become only the second English manager to win his first four Premier League matches with Chelsea and has also led the club into the Champions League round of 16, thanks to a dramatic 3–2 away victory over Napoli.
So far, results — not memes — are doing the talking for Chelsea’s new man in charge. ⚽
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