O’Neil succeeds Rosenior as Strasbourg manager

Gary O’Neil has been appointed Strasbourg manager after Liam Rosenior left the French Ligue 1 side to join Chelsea earlier this week.

The 42-year-old, who has previously managed Premier League sides Bournemouth and Wolves, said he is “proud” to join a club with a “high-quality squad and clear, ambitious goals for the season”.

The former Portsmouth, Middlesbrough and QPR midfielder added: “Racing has a unique history, extraordinary passion, great resilience, and of course, loyal fans who want to see this team play attractive football and succeed.

“My priority is to work hard with the team and give everything for the club’s success.”

Strasbourg, who sit seventh in Ligue 1, moved swiftly to appoint O’Neil after Rosenior joined Chelsea on a six-and-a-half-year deal on Tuesday.

Strasbourg president Marc Keller said O’Neil, who will take charge of his first match in the French Cup tie at Avranches on Saturday, is a “demanding and respected coach, with a modern approach to football that fits perfectly with our sporting project”.

After beginning his managerial career with Bournemouth, O’Neil has managed 88 times in the Premier League.

But after succeeding Scott Parker as boss during the 2022-23 season and then guiding the Cherries to safety, O’Neil was sacked at the end of the campaign.

He did, though, make a swift return to the dugout in time for the 2023-24 season with Wolves, who he guided to a 14th-place finish in the Premier League and the FA Cup quarter-finals.