PL News: Chelsea appoint Enzo Maresca as new boss

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Chelsea have announced the appointment of Enzo Maresca as their new head coach

The Italian takes over from Mauricio Pochettino, who left by mutual agreement on 21 May after just one season at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca, 44, assumed control of the Foxes in June 2023 and guided them to the Championship title last season.

Enzo Maresca, Leicester City manager, lifts the Championship trophy
Maresca celebrates his former club's Championship title win. Picture from fuji.tim | Flickr

Starting his new role on 1 July, Maresca becomes Chelsea's sixth managerial appointment in five years and the fourth since May 2022.

Chelsea had a mixed 2023-24 season but finished strongly, winning their last five matches to secure sixth place and qualify for the Europa Conference League. The Blues also finished as runners-up in the Carabao Cup and reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

Following Pochettino's departure, several candidates were considered, including former Brighton manager Roberto de Zerbi, Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna, and Brentford's Thomas Frank.

Chelsea players not involved in international duties this summer are set to return for pre-season training under Maresca on 4 July, ahead of a tour of the United States.

Maresca will bring his coaching team from Leicester, including former Chelsea goalkeeper Willy Caballero, to join him at Stamford Bridge.

A closer look at the decision-making process

Chelsea’s decision-makers unanimously chose Maresca as their top candidate.

Maresca fits well with Chelsea’s highly data-driven and sports science approach, which involves input from various departments within the club.The club is moving towards a model where recruitment is not solely manager-led, allowing the manager to concentrate on football. This shift had caused friction between Pochettino and the ownership.

Maresca is comfortable within this structure and is keen to focus on player development and match preparation, leveraging the club’s strong resources.

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He has already requested data profiles on every player, including academy talents and key staff members, to prepare ahead of his official start date on 1 July.

There is enthusiasm within the new coaching staff about working with the squad, with plans to add a striker and potentially a defender.

Maresca is expected to include several academy players in pre-season training, such as Tyrique George and Josh Acheampong, with some senior players returning late from international duty at Euro 2024 and Copa America.

Some of the best reaction

Lauren, a Chelsea fan from Greater Manchester, said: "I was disappointed to see Poch leave, but it's important to remember that no matter how good you are at your job, publicly disagreeing with your employer about how to run their business often leads to dismissal."

Lewis, another Chelsea fan, added: "I had hoped for a more experienced coach like Flick, but the club's owners clearly have a different vision. Reports indicate that Maresca made a compelling case, which would impress any potential recruiter. So, we must support him and hope the results align with the owners' admittedly unusual ideas. Additionally, Arteta had no coaching experience before taking the Arsenal job, and look at what he's achieved with them."

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