5 months ago
21 The appointment of Enzo Maresca by Chelsea seemed an odd choice on the face of it.
Though the Italian had worked under Pep Guardiola at Man City, he had no top-flight managerial experience to speak of, unlike Mauricio Pochettino who agreed to depart Stamford Bridge by mutual consent.
Just when it appeared that the Argentinian was getting things together, he was gone.
Maresca is last chance saloon appointment for Chelsea
What that effectively means for the club is more upheaval in the transfer market as the new man decides which players he wants to sell and which he wants to keep, and the players having to get used to another way of working with a man that didn’t have the experience or kudos of the previous incumbent.
It’s a brave move, some might say stupid, and former super agent, Jon Smith, has noted that it is the Blues last throw of the dice.
“Hiring Enzo Maresca is a really brave decision you have to say from Paul Winstanley, who’s the sporting director at Chelsea, and it’s probably the last chance saloon,” he told CaughtOffside for his exclusive column.
“I like Paul, he did a great job at Brighton and he has a highly intellectual footballing brain, but it is definitely a risky proposition.
“Having said all of that, the fashionable and loud voices all say that you need young, new, innovative coaches from the Pep school of how to do things in 2024 and that’s where he comes from.
“In terms of his managerial ability, he was a bit poor at Parma, Leicester fans don’t seem overly upset, which is a slight concern, but when you look at what’s happened at Brighton, and it’s where Paul came from, they pick people out that they’ve done their research on and they’ve worked.
“So, being bold and brave might not be the worst thing in the world… fingers crossed.”
That there really is a feeling that this is one appointment that cannot fail surely puts Maresca on the back foot before he’s even begun.
It’s generally accepted that when a new man in charge comes into a football club, he’s given time to bed down and get to grips with all aspects, but it doesn’t look like Maresca will be afforded that opportunity.

After all, Todd Boehly has had no problem with dispensing with the likes of Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter and Pochettino because things didn’t work out quickly.
If Maresca doesn’t hit the ground running and get some serious points on the board before Christmas, who knows what will happen.
Maybe Winstanley’s choice may be considered a master stroke in time, but for the time being all fingers are being crossed.
