French Ligue 1 club Strasbourg have officially appointed Gary O’Neil as their new head coach, the club confirmed on Wednesday. The 42-year-old Englishman succeeds Liam Rosenior, who departed earlier this week to take the helm at Chelsea, a move facilitated by the clubs’ shared ownership under the BlueCo consortium.
O’Neil, who has been without a managerial position since leaving Wolverhampton Wanderers in December 2024, expressed his enthusiasm for the new challenge. “I am proud to join this incredible club and I can’t wait to get started,” O’Neil said in a statement. “We have a squad of very high quality and clear, ambitious objectives for the season. My priority is to work hard with the team and give everything for the success of the club”.
He further elaborated on his attraction to the role, noting, “I’ve had the opportunity to go into other places… and none of them felt quite like this. That was what really gave me the draw to come to Strasbourg”.
The swift managerial change was necessitated by Rosenior’s move to Stamford Bridge, where he has signed a long-term contract. Strasbourg president Marc Keller welcomed O’Neil, describing him as “a demanding and respected coach, with a modern approach to football that fits perfectly with our sporting project”.
Keller also addressed the challenging circumstances of the transition, stating, “It wasn’t the plan, it was wanted by no one, but once it happens it’s our job, we have to adapt, with always the same ambition, to go higher”.
O’Neil takes charge of a Strasbourg side sitting seventh in Ligue 1 and preparing for the knockout phase of the UEFA Conference League. His first match will be a French Cup tie against fourth-tier Avranches on Saturday.
His appointment continues a trend for the club, which has shown a preference for managers with Premier League experience in its last three hires.
The managerial swap has intensified scrutiny of the multi-club ownership model, with Chelsea and Strasbourg both part of the BlueCo group led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital. Chelsea officials insist they acted properly, paying a “market rate” fee to secure Rosenior’s services only after Strasbourg had narrowed its search for a successor.
However, the move has provoked significant backlash from Strasbourg supporters. The Strasbourg Supporters’ Federation condemned Rosenior’s transfer as “another humiliating step in Racing’s subservience to Chelsea” and renewed calls for president Marc Keller to resign.
For O’Neil, this marks his first coaching role outside of England following spells at Bournemouth and Wolves, where he oversaw 88 Premier League matches. He joins a club with a proud history but now operating within a modern football structure, tasked with building on the foundations laid by his predecessor while navigating the complexities and expectations that come with being part of a multi-club network.