Enzo Maresca has been sacked as Chelsea head coach after 18 months in the Stamford Bridge hot seat. Or, as the official statement out it, they have “parted company”.Â
The decision comes after a rapid deterioration in the relationship between the manager and the club’s hierarchy over the past month.
It’s a shocking, yet not surprising outcome of a mini-saga that entered the public eye when the Italian had more credit in the back than ever before.
Chelsea ended the month of November with a 3-0 win over Barcelona before impressively earning a point against Arsenal when down a man.
The Blues subsequently failed to win any of their next three games. After beating Everton on 13 December, Maresca told the media that the previous 48 hours had been the “worst” of his time in charge. He complained that he had received no support, but refused to clarify his comments.
The genesis of the fallout began before then, with multiple reports revealing the myriad problems behind the scenes.
Why Chelsea sacked Enzo Maresca
First and foremost, results. They are the currency on which football managers live and die. Maresca had overseen a very poor run of form, winning just one of their last seven Premier League matches. In very short period they went from title contenders to fifth place and 15 points adrift of leaders Arsenal.
Had he continued the lead Chelsea to victory over the festive period, it’s entirely possible that everything else would be overlooked and he would still be in a job.
The catalyst for the breakdown, however, appears to come from Manchester City’s interest in Maresca as a potential successor to Pep Guardiola whenever he leaves Eastlands. Maresca rubbished those reports as nothing more than speculation, but it has been revealed that he spoke with City about the possibility of taking over in the future.
The Athletic‘s David Ornstein claims that Maresca spoke with City on three occasions; “twice in late October and again in mid-December”. He informed Chelsea of these talks, which he was contractually obliged to do.
Incidentally, the two clubs face each other in the Premier League this weekend.
Another issue that more than one reporter has raised is the medical department. It’s claimed there have been disagreements about return-to-play protocols for injured players. Chelsea have an independent medical team who have final say on player involvement. The club does not want their manager to have the final say in this regard.
See Also – The longest winless runs in the history of the Premier League
