Enzo Maresca spoke some harsh truths about Noni Madueke’s performances earlier this week, and that’s obviously provided some easy cannon fodder for media headlines and narratives since.
But as Madueke himself admitted, the manager’s public challenge is very much in line with Maresca’s methods behind the scenes. He’s not here to make friends or get himself a second family. He’s here to work and to make the players, an in turn the team, better.
“He is honest and truthful. He tells the truth and he is a man you can trust. That’s all you want from a coach.
“He is not necessarily a coach that is trying to be best friends with everyone, but he is a coach that is straight with everyone and fair to everyone. That’s what you need at a top club like Chelsea.”
-Noni Madueke; source: Evening Standard
There is no one-size-fits-all method to coaching, but Maresca’s approach appears to be resonating with the majority of the squad. And he’s done a commendable job in managing what many considered a bloated squad, keeping most everyone fit and relatively happy, and of course also getting some good results in the process — which always makes everything else easier.
Presumably there will be some big tests and bumps in the road ahead, there always are, but so far, Maresca’s showing no real reason to think he won’t be able to handle those and guide us through them, even though he’s still relatively inexperienced as a head coach at the top level.
Maintaining an honest working relationship with his charges will be key to that.
“I try to be, not a friend, but close to the players. Sometimes, even when we want to be friends, when you say something to your friend, sometimes he is not happy. But he has to know that what you say is because you are trying to take care of him. The only reason I said this to Noni is because I want the best for him [and] it is a way to be closer, to show them that I take care of them.”
“[...] The same thing happened with Reece when I spoke about leadership. I want the best for Reece and I want him to improve. For Noni, it is exactly the same.”
-Enzo Maresca; source: Football.London
It’s still early days, but Maresca’s proving an inspired appointment by this much-beleaguered ownership group.