Chelsea’s Under-21s head coach, Filipe Coelho, has left the club to join French side RC Strasbourg as assistant head coach, with the Ligue 1 side set to bolster Liam Rosenior’s coaching staff. The 44 year-old leaves his post at Stamford Bridge after just one season, which saw him guide the youngsters to third place in Premier League 2.
The Portuguese coach joined Chelsea after a successful season as Under-23s head coach at Estoril, in which the Portuguese club topped the Under-23 Liga Revelacao table.
Softfootball understands that Strasbourg are looking to improve on their seventh place finish in 2024-25 next season, which saw them qualify for the Conference League following their first season under Rosenior.
According to the club’s statement as seen on Chelsea official website, the Blues announced that Coelho left for French Ligue 1 side RC Strasbourg. He will become their new assistant head coach, and the move represents an exciting opportunity for Coelho to move into senior football.
The club statement read:
“The move represents an exciting opportunity for Coelho to move into senior football and follows an impressive debut season in west London, during which he made an excellent impression both on and off the pitch.
“Coelho guided our young Blues to a third-place finish in Premier League 2 last season before a quarter-final exit in the play-offs.
“There were also a number of men’s team debutants from the Under-21s group throughout 2024/25, including Tyrique George, Shumaira Mheuka, Kiano Dyer, Harrison Murray-Campbell, Genesis Antwi and Ato Ampah.”
This summer, the BlueCo sister-club, Strasbourg will welcome Mike Penders, Mamadou Sarr and Kendry Paez as the three loanees from Chelsea, seeing them benefit from the multi-club relationship.
It’s reported that Coelho was ‘highly rated at Cobham and earned credit for the quality of his training sessions and for implementing a progressive style of play’.
He now leaves his role at Chelsea which will now need to be filled, but there is no doubt a plan is in place given Coelho switches from one BlueCo club to another.
