Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca sent out a cryptic message over what he perceived to be a lack of support for his time at the club, coming from somewhere within their hierarchy.
07:52, 14 Dec 2025Updated 07:55, 14 Dec 2025
Enzo Maresca speaks before Chelsea's match against Everton in the Premier League
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Enzo Maresca sent out a cryptic message about his support at Chelsea from those within the club(Image: (Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images))
Former Premier League player Danny Murphy has warned Enzo Maresca that football owners can be ruthless over the future of their managers, as the Chelsea boss raised plenty of eyebrows with his comments after his side's win over Everton. The Blues secured a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge, but the head coach stole all the headlines.
He declared it the "worst 48 hours" since he joined Chelsea, stating "many people" didn't support him, his players, and his coaching staff. Maresca was pressed further to clarify the comments, claiming that it wasn't aimed at the fans at all, suggesting that it could be a concern internally.
That has naturally drawn some questions over exactly what he means, which became a discussion point on the BBC's Match of the Day. The host, Mark Chapman, asked: "Maresca in that press conference was pushed about whether he meant the fans - he said 'no, I don't mean the fans'. They mentioned the media - I can't believe he's really that bothered what the media say or don't say about him. That has to be directed internally, doesn't it?"
Alan Shearer was the first to respond, as he said: "He wants us and others to talk about that. We wouldn't have mentioned that at all if he hadn't mentioned it in his press conference. There's no doubt about that, he's directing that at the board or the owners.
"My guess is that he doesn't feel as if he's getting the protection after the defeat they had in midweek. Obviously, that hurts him, but Chelsea's a very different football club now to what it was 15 or 20 years ago in terms of who they buy - they want to develop young players.
"And it is difficult to compete with the very best when you're doing that because it does take time to bed younger players in and develop them. But in the big picture with Chelsea, I think he's doing a good job."
It has brought about some interesting discussions over whether Maresca is safe in his job at Stamford Bridge, just a few weeks on from being discussed in a Premier League title race. While some damaging results have since followed, Chelsea are still in the reckoning for a positive campaign again.
Chapman continued: "'What more do you expect me to do?' Do you think that's what he's saying?" to which Danny Murphy had a warning for Maresca, as he said: "Yeah, I do more or less, and I agree with that. But he's got to be careful. I think you have to realise that with the owners you're working for at the club you're working for, he's been given an amazing opportunity to manage a massive football club after only managing Leicester.
"So did he expect to gain control because he won the Conference League? You know, let's put it in perspective: he's got to be careful." He then added: "He's done well, there's no doubt. I'm not doubting that he's done well.
"What I'm saying is that football is ruthless. These are multi-billionaire owners, and if they feel that their manager is talking directly to them through the press, it's not going to end well for him. He's got a wonderful opportunity to have success with Chelsea, maybe just pick your moments to be quiet."
It's unclear exactly what Maresca meant by support, or who it was aimed at, but it seems as though the manager has brought about questions over his future as sudden tension arises. The 45-year-old has now taken charge of 88 Chelsea matches, in which he has picked up 54 wins and 14 draws, while he has only tasted defeat 20 times for the Blues across all competitions.
The Italian head coach has brought about some stability after a rocky first few years under the BlueCo ownership, which saw them move through a few different managerial hires. A Europa Conference League triumph helped bring a first trophy of the new ownership, while qualification back to the Champions League has come as a boost to the project.
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Maresca's job will be, at the very least, to replicate that with a top four finish this season, which may be easier said than done. Chelsea's transfer model is based on signing, developing, and then selling players on, something that saw plenty of churn occur over the summer.
The loss of some experienced stars, such as Noni Madueke and Nicolas Jackson, came as potential blows to the head coach, while he had to help bring through some younger signings to fill that void. So far, the Blues have met the challenge well, sitting fourth in the table.
However, it remains to be seen what business could be done in January, both in and out of the club, while there is now seemingly uncertainty over Maresca's position after his cryptic message.