‘I remember him reading a lot and watching videos of old matches’ Curtis Davies on working behind the scenes with Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior

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Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior was destined to move into management according to a former teammate who knows him well

Curtis Davies in action for Hull City
Curtis Davies in action for Hull City

Curtis Davies is building a reputation as a thoughtful and insightful football pundit. A smart player and a natural leader during his playing career, Davies was a popular senior figure in a number of dressing rooms.

The former Premier League defender is also well positioned to shine a light on the mind of Liam Rosenior, who took over from former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca at the start of the year.

Curtis Davies on coaching credentials of Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior

Hull City Manager Liam Rosenior during the Sky Bet Championship match between Sunderland and Hull City at the Stadium Of Light, Sunderland on Friday 7th April 2023.

Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior (Image credit: Getty Images)

Davies was a stalwart of Midlands football by the time he rolled into Pride Park. The Londoner joined West Bromwich Albion from Luton Town in 2005 and went on to play for both Aston Villa and Birmingham City.

Now 40, Davies also had a loan spell before arriving at rivals Derby via Hull. The England Under-21 international saw out his playing career at Cheltenham Town, retiring as recently as 2024.

Liam Rosenior

Liam Rosenior (Image credit: Getty Images)

“Wayne Rooney built an atmosphere when he managed Derby, but 90 per cent of our tactics and style were sorted by Liam,” Davies tells FourFourTwo.

"He was always one you’d expect to go on and coach. Liam was interested in what the coaches were doing and was constantly asking questions.

"Most players on the way back from away games will play cards on the coach, or just sit and have a chat. Liam would do that too, but I also remember him reading a lot and watching videos of old matches.

"He loved reading books about Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho in particular, getting an insight into the methods and mentalities of the great modern managers. It was so obvious he’d become a coach."

When Rooney resigned in the summer of 2022, Rosenior stepped in as Derby's interim manager, his first senior management role. Davies believes Derby's new owners should have stuck with him.

Liam Rosenior and Curtis Davies during the Barclays Premier League match between Hull City and Arsenal at KC Stadium on April 20, 2014 in Hull, England.

Liam Rosenior and Curtis Davies were teammates at Hull City in the Premier League (Image credit: Getty Images)

"Liam was hard done by in not getting the job permanently," the former defender tells FourFourTwo. "He deserved the opportunity to take the club on after all the work he’d put in."

Rosenior got his chance with Hull in the Championship and spent just under two years with the Humberside club before being absorbed into the BlueCo machine as the head coach of Ligue 1 side Strasbourg.

After the departure of Maresca, BlueCo went all in on their man. Rosenior was moved over to Stamford Bridge to begin his first managerial spell in the Premier League.

"The stars have aligned for Liam and now it’s his job to go out there and grasp this opportunity," says Davies.

"He’s a fantastic young manager with the tools and the drive to become a success. I just hope he gets time."

Chris Nee
Chris Nee

Chris is a Warwickshire-based freelance writer, Editor-in-Chief of AVillaFan.com, author of the High Protein Beef Paste football newsletter and owner of Aston Villa Review. He supports Northern Premier League Midlands Division club Coventry Sphinx.

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