Liam Rosenior’s confidence in Robert Sanchez runs deeper than the typical manager-goalkeeper relationship. Long before the two reunited at Chelsea this season, they shared a dressing room at Brighton, a connection that now underpins Rosenior’s trust in the Spaniard as his senior goalkeeper.
Their story stretches back to 2017, when Rosenior and Sanchez featured together for Brighton’s Under-23 side in the EFL Trophy away at Coventry City.
At the time, Rosenior was beginning to map out his coaching future, while Sanchez was a teenage prospect learning the demands of senior football. Nearly a decade on, their careers have converged again at Stamford Bridge, shaped by very different journeys but bonded by familiarity and mutual respect.
Sanchez’s evolution has been particularly satisfying for Rosenior to witness. Once a raw young keeper with obvious physical tools, the 28-year-old has matured into a commanding presence, trusted to anchor Chelsea’s defensive structure.
Rosenior’s admiration is rooted not only in Sanchez’s performances but also in his personal growth across the years.
“I remember training with Rob and coaching him – we knew what his potential was,” Rosenior explained.
“I said to him when I came in, I’m so proud of him, to be at this club, to see how his career has progressed, off the pitch as well. He’s got two children. I saw Rob when he was 17 years old; he was a kid, talking about when he passed his driving test, so to see his progression is great.
“I’ve got a great connection with him. The scary thing with Rob is that I know how much he can improve as well. He’s already playing at a really high level.”
That belief extends beyond shot-stopping. Rosenior has been keen to build his team around players’ natural strengths, and Sanchez’s distribution has become an important weapon in Chelsea’s build-up play.
“You should always play to a player’s strengths, whether it is the goalkeeper or your number nine. You want them to be comfortable and play the way that they’re comfortable. Rob’s already shown me fantastic things, especially his distribution against Brentford, which was outstanding.
“There were a couple of long passes to Pedro Neto where we nearly scored from, but you always want to improve every player as well.”
