3 months ago
8 Enzo Maresca has the biggest of tasks on his hands at Chelsea, and despite an opening day defeat against Man City, he’s won some plaudits from Stan Collymore.
The Italian won’t be under any illusions whatsoever in terms of what’s expected of him at Stamford Bridge, so it’s important that he sets his stall out from the get go that he isn’t someone to mess with.
The most successful managers over the last few seasons have been those that have an uncompromising side to their personality eg Mikel Arteta, Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola.
Maresca has got some way to go to be considered in the same bracket as that trio, particularly given that he’s never managed a team in any top-flight European league before taking charge in West London.
Collymore gives Enzo Maresca the thumbs up over Chilwell and Sterling
Recent decisions regarding player exits may not have found favour with some, but Collymore believes the type of directness that the manager has shown needs applauding.
“Players respect the fact that managers give them clear information because too many don’t. Too many will literally walk down a corridor towards a player and give it the old ‘how are your pal? etc. etc.,’ pat them on the back, and then knife them in the back by leaving them out and not saying anything or facing up to the problem,” he told CaughtOffside for his exclusive column.
“It’s happened many, many times in football history and the stories are legion about how a manager will say one thing and do another.
“I think that you’ll find players won’t be overly angry by these instances of a manager basically saying to five or six Chelsea players ‘you’re done, you’re finished, you’re not going to get a game here.’
“I’m a massive fan of that.”

 
Ultimately, results will determine Maresca’s future, and though the likes of Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell and Conor Gallagher are likely to be missed, Blues fans would do well to look forward rather than back.
The manager’s role is clear, and he needs everyone pulling in the same direction, particularly in the early stages of the season.
If the club are now able to claw back some money from transfers too before the end of the current window, it should set them up nicely in terms of Financial Fair Play.
?????????? Conor Gallagher unveiled at the Metropolitano as new Atlético Madrid player! pic.twitter.com/6mWL6rEvBj
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 21, 2024
Gallagher is likely to enjoy his time in Madrid if his welcome at Atletico was anything to go by, whilst Chilwell and Sterling have enough time to find themselves a new club thanks to Maresca’s directness.
