I’m gutted to see him go. I enjoyed last season, ultimately for the success and promotion that Maresca achieved but also for way he galvanised a broken squad and developed so many of the players and got so much more from them than we had seen previously. I fear the better players will be gutted by this and will be far less likely to stay and build their careers with us.
We were on a journey with Maresca, with a lot more development to come, continuing this journey was ultimately our best chance of overcoming any points deductions and establishing ourselves as a premier league club again.
I think the Maresca system, with a few additions, would have prospered in the premier league, where teams don’t sit back with 9/10 men behind the ball. Our best performances last season were against teams who also liked to monopolise possession, when we had the chance to pass through teams quickly and exploit space further up the pitch.
I don’t know weather our lack of support for Maresca had any impact on his decision to go but I do remember O’Neill being scarred by the fans criticism of him and never getting over it.
Finally hearing people who have slaughtered Maresca most of the season now criticise him for jumping ship at the first opportunity is hilarious.
100% agree.
As for Enzo, can you blame him? Chelsea is a huge club, he'll be competing for top 4/6, he'll be living in one of the world's best cities, he'll be working with top players and a good budget and he'll get paid a lot more.
He's done a great job bringing us back up. We lost Maddison, Tielemans, Barnes, Evans, Soyuncu, Castagne, Amartey, Perez and we didn't have a no.1 goalkeeper. We came down in a negative cloud, distraught and an absolute mess. Never forget that. We were a heap.
Enzo comes in, brings a modern philosophy, a freshness and a new attitude and thrives. Of course we had choppy moments but it was his first full season as a manager and as mentioned...we were a ****ing mess. He brings in Hermansen, his top target, who has been excellent overall. Finally we have a stable no.1 after Kasper. Winks, Fatawu, Mavididi, all crucial. Galvanised KDH, Ndidi, Vestergaard, and kept Vardy scoring.
All of the above and we won the ****ing league. Yes we had a purple patch but I look back and both Ipswich matches we dominated. Boro was super close both times and with better finishing, we'd have battered Leeds. We never got spanked.
This guy is a hero. One crucial season. Bang. Who knows how well he'd have done in the PL? We might have done great with a few additions. It's about time some of you put some respect on the job he's done and the last year. FFS. Some gratitude.
Thank you, Enzo, for the time you've spent here. Hopefully we find a manager who can continue your style of play (with a plan b!) And move us forward.