Former Chelsea striker and Legend Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has admitted he expected Liam Rosenior to be given more time before being dismissed by the club.
Rosenior’s exit comes just months after he signed a long-term deal following his move from RC Strasbourg, a club also owned by Chelsea’s parent company BlueCo.
Despite acknowledging the mounting pressure, Hasselbaink questioned the timing of the decision.
“I know that he was under pressure because, look, Chelsea is a big club, they expect to win… But then still, because he’s been not that long at Chelsea, I would have thought that they would give him a little bit more time.”
Chelsea’s struggles were clear:
- Five consecutive league games without scoring
- Mounting frustration from supporters
- A damaging 3-0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion
Hasselbaink pointed to mitigating factors, including injuries and performances that didn’t always reflect results.
“They’ve got lots of injuries. The game against Man Utd, they were a little bit unlucky. They played really well.”
Still, he acknowledged the harsh reality of elite football:
“But then on the other hand, I’m not [surprised] because it’s football, it’s results. The shirt is heavy, you know.”
Following Rosenior’s departure, Calum McFarlane has stepped up from the Under-21s to take interim charge.
- Lead Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final against Leeds United
- Stabilize the squad for the remainder of the season
