Former Hull City vice-chairman Tan Kesler has revealed how “really ambitious” Liam Rosenior became a success in management.
The 41-year-old is now in charge of Chelsea and will lead his side into an FA Cup fourth‑round tie at his former club, where he made 161 appearances as a player between 2010 and 2015.
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Having previously served only as caretaker manager at Derby County in League One, Rosenior was appointed by Hull as a relatively inexperienced head coach in 2022.
Kesler told BBC Sport what he said to owner Acun Ilicali during the hiring process:
“I remember telling Acun: we’re speaking to top international coaches, but this young coach has something special,” he said.
“Acun comes from the entertainment world – he owns rights to reality shows like The Voice and Survivor. I told him Liam could be someone we bring into the limelight by giving him an opportunity.
“Liam spoke very well and we hoped he could apply his ideas.
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“Finally, I asked him in our first meeting over coffee where he saw himself in five years.
“Knowing Championship coaches have short lifespans, I wanted to see if he was pragmatic or really ambitious. He said: ‘I see myself coaching in the Champions League’.”
“We took a risk – a calculated risk, not a crazy one.”
Now working in the same role at Polish top‑flight side Pogon Szczecin, Kesler explained that Rosenior went to extra lengths to persuade players to join Hull.
He recalled driving with club recruiters from Yorkshire to London to convince Fabio Carvalho to sign on loan, and said not every attempt was successful, pointing to a similar trip to Burnley which ended without a deal.
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“Liam focuses on communication and delivers what he needs to say in a very short period,” Kesler added. “That’s key for young players with short attention spans.”
Rosenior was ultimately sacked after 18 months and 78 matches in charge, having missed out on the 2023-24 Championship play-offs by three points, because of what Ilicali said was a “difference of opinions”.
Kesler “believes everything happens for a reason”, with his own exit following six months later because he felt he needed a break after the birth of his son.
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