New Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior has made a bold claim ahead of his first game in charge. He believes his young Blues squad can match Manchester United's legendary 'Class of 92' and become serial winners.
Rosenior takes charge for the first time on Saturday when Chelsea face Charlton Athletic in the FA Cup third round. It's a Championship side, so expect Chelsea to be heavily favored in the betting markets.
Chelsea currently have the youngest squad in the Premier League. Their oldest player is Tosin Adarabioyo at just 28 years old. Former boss Enzo Maresca hinted this lack of experience might be holding the team back during their inconsistent run.
The Class of 92 Comparison
But Rosenior sees things differently. He's looking at what Sir Alex Ferguson achieved at Manchester United in the 1990s. Ferguson famously gave six or seven teenagers their chance at the same time – David Beckham, Paul Scholes, the Neville brothers, Nicky Butt, and Ryan Giggs.
"I remember Sir Alex Ferguson was brave enough to put six, seven players between the ages of 19 and 21 in his team," Rosenior said. "What they did is they grew and they won trophy after trophy after trophy."
The 41-year-old admitted he was actually a Manchester United fan growing up, though he's now "massively a Chelsea fan." He managed a young squad at Strasbourg before joining Chelsea, so he's got experience developing talent.
"There is potential for that here," Rosenior explained. "Speak about Moisés Caicedo or Enzo Fernández or Cole Palmer or Reece James – world-class players and still very, very young."
Experience Despite Young Ages
When challenged about United's young players having experienced winners around them like Peter Schmeichel and Roy Keane, Rosenior had his answer ready. He pointed out that age isn't everything when it comes to experience.
"Enzo has won the World Cup and is a leader in the group," he said. "Reece has won titles and many things. This group has experienced winning things together."
For punters watching Chelsea's season unfold, this youth-focused approach could mean volatility in results short-term. But if Rosenior can harness this talent like Ferguson did, Chelsea could become a dominant force again. The FA Cup offers an early chance for silverware and could be crucial for building that winning mentality.
Rosenior was clear about his ambitions: "The project here is about winning games. It's not anything but trying to deliver trophies for Chelsea." Whether he'll be the one to see it through in three or four years, he believes this club will be successful for a long time to come.
