Enzo Maresca described his appointment as the new Chelsea head Coach as “a dream”. He will sign a five-year deal replacing Maurizio Pochettino at Stamford Bridge with an option for another year.
When asked about his excitement at being given the responsibility of leading the next stage of the club’s rebuilding by its owners, Clearlake Capital, he mentioned the “talented group of players and staff” that he will oversee when he formally takes over as manager on July 1 and becomes Boehly’s third permanent manager to have held the position.
The 44-year-old was the driving force behind Leicester’s successful return to the Premier League during his one and only season at the King Power Stadium. This is his first position as manager of a senior top-flight team.
Maresca delighted at ‘dream’ Chelsea job
“To join Chelsea, one of the biggest clubs in the world, is a dream for any coach,” the former Leicester City coach said in a statement. “It is why I am so excited by this opportunity.”
“I look forward to working with a very talented group of players and staff to develop a team that continues the club’s tradition of success and makes our fans proud.”
According to the PA news agency, Maresca’s tenure at City, where he also supported Pep Guardiola during the team’s 2022–2023 Treble-winning season, helped convince Chelsea that Maresca was their man, succeeding a group that included Kieran McKenna of Ipswich, Thomas Frank of Brentford and departing Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi.
“We are delighted to welcome Enzo to Chelsea,” said the pair. “He has proven himself to be an excellent coach capable of delivering impressive results with an exciting and identifiable style.”
“Enzo has deeply impressed us in our discussions leading up to his appointment. His ambitions and work ethic align with those of the club. We thoroughly look forward to working with him.”
“I look forward to working with a very talented group of players and staff to develop a team that continues the club’s tradition of success and makes our fans proud.”
The hierarchy’s top goal was to choose someone who would operate with their working paradigm, which places a head coach in a larger structure with well-defined roles and job delegation.
One facet of Maresca’s philosophy that distinguishes him from Pochettino is his ability to work within a data-driven system. Pochettino desired a more traditional job that gave him more control over decisions like player recruiting and backroom hires.
His communication and coaching abilities are two of the qualities that have received positive feedback.
