Strasbourg face pitfalls of multi-club system as Chelsea take Rosenior

THE departure of Strasbourg coach Liam Rosenior to take over as Chelsea manager has exposed the harsh realities of multi-club ownership, which is gaining ground across the world but causing discord between supporters and teams.

- 

The relatively inexperienced Rosenior, 41, has achieved a remarkable elevation from the modest French Ligue 1 side to the World Club Cup champions, who are both owned by American Todd Boehly’s BlueCo consortium.

Worldwide, between 200 and 300 clubs are part of a multi-ownership group. Manchester City, who sit at the top of City Football Group, and Manchester United (Ineos) are some of the other big names.

A clear hierarchy exists within such a structure and not being at the top of an ownership group can mean being reduced to the role of feeder club.

The consequences of being in such a position are hitting home for Strasbourg supporters, who have been left enraged after their promising young coach moved to Chelsea on Tuesday following the Premier League giants’ decision to part ways with their previous boss, Enzo Maresca.

“When you're not at the top, you're also there to serve the interests of the multi-owner and the consortium,” Christophe Lepetit, director of studies at the Centre for the Law and Economics of Sport at the University of Limoges in France, told AFP.