‘It didn’t matter who Chelsea hired – they wanted a coach, not someone who’ll have a say on signings. The era of the manager calling all the shots is ending’: Enzo Maresca not expected to make transfer decisions at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea appointed Enzo Maresca at the start of July on a five-year deal, replacing Mauricio Pochettino at Stamford Bridge after getting Leicester City promoted back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

For former Chelsea winger and current Euro 2024 BBC Radio 5 Live co-commentator Pat Nevin, the appointment of Maresca is a new direction for the club. Indeed, the Blues have spent over £1bn in the last few transfer windows, with a clear focus placed on adding younger players to the squad.

But while success hasn't been immediate Stamford Bridge with that transfer strategy, Nevin believes that appointing a first team coach gives the club greater autonomy over future transfers, with sporting and technical directors set to make decisions on the playing squad rather than the manager.

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“At the end of the season, I was thinking things were starting to look alright," Nevin tells FourFourTwo . "What we’ve got with Maresca is an experiment, one that involves a coach who’ll have no say on the players he’ll be working with.

"It’s weird to say, but I don’t know how much it really mattered who Chelsea appointed. They didn’t want someone who’d try to get involved in acquisitions. They wanted a coach.

“Not to disrespect Maresca, but he’s one of many ambitious, technical coaches out there, and he’s simply the one they picked – they’ve just plucked a young coach who’s done quite well lately. I always thought they’d go in this direction, away from big names. They wouldn’t want anyone who’d try to muscle in on their operation. It’s a reflection of a sea change in football. The era of the manager calling all the shots is ending."

Despite Nevin's suggestions over the appointment, he still highlights the credentials of Maresca. Prior to taking over at Leicester City last season, the Italian was Pep Guardiola's assistant at Manchester City during their treble-winning season in 2022/23.

With experience of working with plenty of young players, too, Maresca clearly possesses the credentials to succeed at Chelsea.

“Maresca has shown he’s a good, technical coach," Nevin adds. "The Pep connection wouldn’t have hurt him when they made the decision, either – when they tot up each coach’s advantages  and make a decision based on fine margins, one having worked with Guardiola, an all-time great, will have been taken into account.

"That, his track record with younger players, the fact he’s willing to work with the players he’s given, the way he’s managed the media, they will all have been considered.

“He’ll find ways of getting the most out of his players, but the acquisitions Chelsea make without his say will define how much of a success he’ll be. With the amount of young players in that squad, and the amount that will inevitably arrive – many won’t have played Premier League football before – it’ll take two years to really bed his ideas in. It would take any coach that long. Is he going to get that? Who knows?”

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