“I’ve only seen one man have the balls to do this, and that was Sir Alex. Liam is doing the exact same thing now at Chelsea, and it’s going to change their history forever.” Wayne Rooney has just dropped a bombshell on the one ‘old-school’ tactic Liam Rosenior has brought back from the Ferguson era!

The comparisons between Liam Rosenior and Sir Alex Ferguson have been whispered in coaching circles for months. Now, the man who knows both better than almost anyone has made the connection explicit—and in doing so, has revealed the single “old-school” tactic that could change Chelsea’s trajectory forever.

**”I’ve only seen one man have the balls to do this, and that was Sir Alex. Liam is doing the exact same thing now at Chelsea, and it’s going to change their history forever.”**

Wayne Rooney’s bombshell declaration cuts through the noise of tactical analysis and formation debates to identify the **fundamental philosophy** underpinning Rosenior’s Chelsea revolution. It’s not about systems or pressing traps. It’s about something far more primal: the creation of a culture where players can breathe, laugh, and still deliver when it matters most.

## The “Old-School” Tactic: Banter as a Weapon

Speaking on *The Overlap*, Rooney addressed the criticism Rosenior has faced for his relaxed, approachable demeanour on the training ground . Jamie Carragher had questioned whether the Chelsea boss was “putting on an act” at a big club, drawing comparisons to Graham Potter’s ill-fated tenure .

Rooney’s response was emphatic:

**”So that happened a lot with Sir Alex Ferguson. That happens with every manager. We used to have banter all the time with your managers. Then when it comes to work, you work.”**

The “old-school” tactic, it turns out, is the deliberate cultivation of **joy, humour, and human connection** within a high-performance environment. It’s the understanding that players who feel trusted, who share genuine relationships with their manager, will run through walls when the moment demands it.

## The Ferguson Playbook: Laughter Before Labour

Those who witnessed Ferguson’s Manchester United up close understood that the legendary Scot’s man-management was far more nuanced than the “hairdryer” stereotype suggested. He knew when to shout and when to smile, when to demand and when to **release pressure** through laughter and community .

Rooney, who thrived under Ferguson for years, recognises the same approach in Rosenior:

> “Liam Rosenior’s choice to prioritise banter and a relaxed culture at Chelsea is far from a lack of discipline. Wayne Rooney, who thrived under Ferguson’s specific brand of man-management, argues that the legendary Scot used laughter and community, famously even allowing the squad to eat chips or pulling pranks on staff, to act as a pressure release.”

This is not weakness dressed as warmth. It is **calculated psychological management**—the creation of an environment where fear of failure is replaced by trust in the collective.

## The Ferguson-Rosenior Connection: Deeper Than Tactics

Rosenior has never hidden his admiration for the Manchester United legend. He has openly described Ferguson as his **”hero”** . But the influence runs deeper than hero worship.

Through his work with Rooney at Derby County, Rosenior absorbed not just tactical knowledge but the **philosophical inheritance** of the Ferguson era. Rooney has previously praised Rosenior’s coaching ability in the highest terms, describing him as **”as good a coach as I’ve ever worked with”** —a statement that carries extra weight given the legends Rooney played under .

The Derby experience was formative for both men. Rosenior has credited Rooney with teaching him vital lessons in **”pressure management, man management, being intuitive and the lessons he learned from Sir Alex Ferguson”** . The transmission of Ferguson’s wisdom, filtered through Rooney and absorbed by Rosenior, is now being deployed at Stamford Bridge.

## Building a Siege Mentality: The Chelsea Parallels

The results of this approach are already visible. Since taking charge in January 2025, Rosenior has overseen **eight wins, one draw, and two losses in his first 11 games**—a record that puts him level with Thomas Tuchel’s incredible start .

But the statistics only tell part of the story. What Rosenior is building is a **psychological fortress**:

> “By mirroring this approach, Rosenior is stripping away the tension and fear of failure that was seen at times under the previous regime. Just as Ferguson was brave enough to trust a young ‘Class of ’92’ in high-stakes matches, Rosenior is using his approachable style to build a similar siege mentality.”

For a 20-year-old like Mamadou Sarr to perform at a world-class level, or for Cole Palmer to express his genius freely, **”the training ground must feel like a place of trust rather than a classroom of fear”** . Rosenior has created exactly that environment.

## The Public Moments: Rosenior’s Personality on Display

Rosenior’s approach isn’t confined to private training sessions. Multiple public moments have showcased the personality Rooney describes:

– The infamous touchline confrontation where he told Arsenal players they were **”disgracing the game”** with their post-match antics
– The playful moment with João Pedro where he stood next to him and **wound him up** on the touchline
– Running into Cole Palmer during a match, a moment of levity that went viral

These are not the actions of a manager “putting on an act.” They are the expressions of a **coach comfortable in his own skin**, who understands that connection with players is built through authentic human interaction.

## The Carragher Critique: Misreading the Method

Jamie Carragher’s scepticism about Rosenior’s approach is understandable. The Liverpool legend built his career on intensity, on the snarling face of competition. A smiling manager who jokes with players can easily be mistaken for a soft one.

But Carragher himself has provided the counter-evidence. On *Monday Night Football*, he recently broke down Rosenior’s **tactical masterclass** against West Ham, showing how the Chelsea boss shifted to a daring 2-2-6 formation in the second half to secure a 92nd-minute winner .

**”I think Liam Rosenior is underselling himself here because that wasn’t just about spirit or character; it was a total tactical shift that won Chelsea this football match.”**

The man who can laugh with his players at Cobham and then deliver a tactical masterclass at Stamford Bridge is not a contradiction. He is the **complete modern manager**—one who understands that the human and the technical are not opposing forces but complementary pillars of success.

## The History-Changing Potential

Rooney’s claim that this approach will **”change their history forever”** rests on a simple premise: Chelsea have cycled through managers, systems, and philosophies for years without finding sustainable success. The “project” has been defined by instability, by the revolving door, by the absence of a **unifying culture**.

Rosenior is building something different. Not through revolution, but through **evolution**—the patient construction of an environment where players want to stay, want to perform, and want to win for each other .

The Premier League analysis of Rosenior’s tactical approach notes his flexibility, his ability to combine “the beautiful with the practical,” and his preference for evolution over revolution . These qualities, combined with the human touch Rooney identifies, create the foundation for something lasting.

## The Rooney Endorsement: Why It Matters

When Rooney speaks about Rosenior, he speaks with the authority of someone who has seen greatness up close. He played under Ferguson, Capello, and the world’s best. He has managed in the pressure cooker of English football. His verdict carries weight:

> **”If he gets time there, I think he will do well. I think the question is, does he get time?”**

That question—the question of time—is the only remaining obstacle. Chelsea’s history under the current ownership has been defined by impatience, by the refusal to allow any manager the space to build. Rosenior’s start suggests he deserves that space. Rooney’s comparison to Ferguson suggests he could use it to build something special.

## The Final Word

The “old-school” tactic Rooney has identified is not a formation or a pressing trigger. It is the **courage to be human** in a profession that often demands robotic intensity. It is the understanding that players are not chess pieces but people, and that people perform best when they feel trusted, valued, and connected.

Ferguson knew this. He built dynasties on it. And now, at Stamford Bridge, Liam Rosenior is deploying the same philosophy—with Rooney watching, recognising, and endorsing every step.

**”It’s going to change their history forever.”**

The claim is audacious. The evidence, so far, is compelling. And at Chelsea, a club desperate for stability and identity, the Ferguson blueprint may finally provide the foundation they’ve been seeking.