It’s a rare occasion to hear from Marcel Desailly, but that’s precisely what we have here through Card Player.

The esteemed Frenchman celebrated victory with the Blues, securing three trophies between 1998 and 2004.

What are your thoughts on Liam Rosenior, a black manager, leading Chelsea?

‘I’ve raised concerns before, highlighting that some former black players claimed a lack of job offers. However, this often stemmed from them not completing their coaching certifications. I obtained my UEFA Pro Licence to ensure I could seize future opportunities. Without pursuing these qualifications, one shouldn’t anticipate landing a coaching role.

‘You need to go through the system and Liam Rosenior has done exactly that. He also worked on his coaching ability and skills at Derby, Hull and Strasbourg. Now he has a really big job at Chelsea.

‘Rosenior earned his coaching badges when he was 32, which shows real commitment to management. He engrained himself into the system, and the system has rewarded him.’

Did you like Liam Rosenior during his time in France?

‘In France, Liam Rosenior had strong ideas around possession and transition. He is definitely part of that new generation that have a new approach. He is a British coach with a positive philosophy, not simply the fighting spirit of English coaches in the past.

‘He clearly has the brains and it’s a good opportunity with Chelsea to go to the next level. But Chelsea is a difficult club to train and to manage because you have to educate the players in every single session, so time will tell how things play out.’