Sawt Falasteen - Strasbourg offer too good to turn down, says O'Neil

Former Bournemouth and Wolves boss O'Neil heads to France after Rosenior left the modest Ligue 1 outfit on Tuesday for Premier League side Chelsea.

The 42-year-old Englishman, whose playing career included long spells at Portsmouth and Middlesbrough and was capped at England under-21 level, said the approach from Strasbourg had pressed all the right buttons.

"I've been out for 12 months now, since I left Wolves," O'Neil told reporters.

"I've had the opportunity to go into other places, Premier League, places around the world, other places in England.

"And none of them felt quite like this.

"That was what really gave me the draw to come to Strasbourg," he added.

O'Neil takes over with the Alsatians, who won their sole French title in 1979, in seventh place in Ligue 1 but without a win in the league since November 9.

They are top of the Conference League table, having beaten the likes of Crystal Palace and Aberdeen.

"I'm impressed by the progress that has been made in recent years," O'Neil said.

"I also come after Liam Rosenior, who has done a very good job here.

"From these foundations, it's an opportunity for me that is fantastic, with a very high-quality team.

"I arrive at a football club that is only going in one direction, upwards, towards progression," he added.

During his time in the Premier League O'Neil guided Bournemouth to top-flight safety and took over at Wolves after Julen Lopetegui's chaotic departure.

He left Molineux in December 2024 with the club in 19th place, having won just twice that season.

O'Neil's first game in charge of Strasbourg will be Saturday's French Cup last 32 game at fourth-tier Avranches.

- 'It wasn't on the table' -

"I am very happy to welcome Gary O'Neil," Strasbourg president Marc Keller said.

"He is a demanding and recognised coach, with a modern approach to football that is fully part of the continuity of our sports project," he added.

Rosenior's move to Chelsea has been shrouded in controversy with the Blues and Strasbourg owned by the same consortium, BlueCo, who bought the three-time French Cup winners in June, 2023.

Strasbourg fans called for Keller to leave his role due to Rosenior's departure which followed the equally unpopular announcement club captain Emmanuel Emegha would head to Stamford Bridge next season.

Rosenior guided Strasbourg to seventh in the table last term, a marked improvement on his predecessor Patrick Vieira under whom they had finished 13th.

Strasbourg's last piece of silverware was lifting the fourth of their League Cup trophies in 2019.

"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," said Keller referring to Rosenior's departure.

"When you're confronted with a coach that has the chance to go to the Premier League, at good clubs, if it's Chelsea or elsewhere, it has to be on the table.

"If every time I had faced an obstacle or a difficulty, I would give up and tell myself, I'm going to stop, I wouldn't be here in front of you today," he added.

R.Halabi--SF-PST