Why Maresca Quits Chelsea Job

Less than six months after guiding Chelsea to FIFA Club World Cup success, Enzo Maresca yesterday left his post as head coach at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues won just one of their final seven Premier League matches under Maresca and sit fifth in the table – 15 points adrift of leaders Arsenal.

After their most recent game – a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth  on 30 December – assistant manager Willy Caballero said Maresca felt too unwell  to speak to the media, but it is understood his absence was more due to him considering his next steps.

Two days on, Maresca has gone. But how did things unravel?

At the end of November, Chelsea appeared in a harmonious place, with the team third in the Premier League and having recently dismantled Barcelona in the Champions League.

On 12 December, Maresca was named Premier League manager of the month for November.

Just one league win followed in December but it was not only results that added to the focus on Maresca, with fissures emerging between the Italian and the club’s hierarchy.

Maresca stunned key figures at Stamford Bridge – and even his own staff – when, after beating Everton 2-0 forChelsea’s  solitary Premier League win in December, he said “ many people” had made it his “worst 48 hours” since joining the club.

Those comments came from a position of strength after a good performance but were viewed dimly by the club hierarchy, at whom they appeared to be aimed.

They have since been explained as being linked to medical recommendations. Senior figures inside Chelseasaid instructions were ignored and decisions either risked players getting injured again – or prevented them from training because of overload. Maresca felt the club were telling him who to pick, based on a player’s value.

Even after that, the plan remained to conduct an end-of-season review to decide whether to move forward with Maresca or part company.

Those with knowledge of Maresca’s views, though, said he was capable of walking away having grown unhappy at a multitude of factors, including encouragement over which players should start and which substitutions should be made during matches.

He also felt a lack of protection from the club over the quality of his work.

And on Thursday came news that was not unexpected, with Chelseaconfirming the two parties had gone their separate ways