Strasbourg head coach Gary O’Neil has told Chelsea owners BlueCo that they “messed up” during the winter transfer window.
Having been on course for an impressive Coupe de France and Conference double at one point, Strasbourg were eliminated at the last-four stage of both competitions in recent weeks.
And, having secured just four points from their last four Ligue 1 outings, they can now finish no higher than eighth in France’s top flight, meaning no European football next season.
After a campaign that showed so much promise under Liam Rosenior, initially, and then O’Neil, when he took over in January, the latter launched a scathing attack on the club’s owners and his first-team squad.
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O’Neil was handed the role after Rosenior was plucked from Strasbourg by BlueCo to take over at sister club Chelsea, but feels big mistakes were made in the winter transfer window that have impacted their end of season.
Angry O’Neil calls out BlueCo over Strasbourg issues
As quoted by L’Equipe, O’Neil also emphasised that ‘changes need to be made to the club culture’, a feeling that has been mentioned a fair few times about Chelsea too.
Following a 1-1 draw with Angers at the weekend, an unhappy O’Neil said: “We have to really work a lot this summer to be better. We have already held meetings about recruitment.
“I need two centre-forwards. The owners want to give me the means to perform next season, but we have to improve the culture around the club, the quality of the players, and the depth of the squad. We messed up in the January transfer window. We weakened instead of improving the squad.”
On performance in the 1-1 draw against Angers, O’Neil added: “I am angry; I hope that the players are, too. There are two matches left and they have to show me that they have to level to play with us next season. But we won’t get anywhere playing like that.
“They really disappointed me, even more so than on Thursday (and the defeat to Rayo Vallecano). They have to do better. The world of football is full of sharks. They need to know that. I told them that we were playing a final and they didn’t play like they had to.”
O’Neil certainly wasn’t helped by leading marksman Joaquin Panichelli suffering a serious knee injury in March, while Chelsea-bound Emanuel Emegha has struggled with injury issues throughout 2026 so far.
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Stamford Bridge loanee David Datro Fofana has also struggled, failing to score in any of his nine appearances to date, that only include three starts.
O’Neil now holds an overall record of 11 wins, six draws and eight defeats from 25 matches since he replaced Rosenior.
