Chelsea are starting negotiations to recruit a 4-2-3-1 manager who could be their new Maresca

Liam Rosenior has told his Chelsea players to respect the football but do they respect him? Absolutely not.

It is very clear that this group of players threw down their tools when the Blues went to Brighton and were beaten 3-0.

Rosenior commented that it was unacceptable after the game but he did not stay long to pick up the pieces, he was sacked before he led the team to the semi final of the FA Cup at Wembley.

In fact, a decision had to be made and despite a rookie in the form of Calum McFarlane presiding over the proceedings, they are certainly now in a better position to secure next term’s European qualification.

However, there is a lot of hard work to do before then.

Chelsea’s search for a new manager leads them to the Premier League

He named them and they may have been linked with the Chelsea job four days ago.

Foreign calls for John Terry and Frank Lampard to return have materialized and Luis Enrique and Xabi Alonso are dream targets as they look to appoint a new manager ahead of the World Cup in June.

Also on their shortlist is Cesc Fabregas but it is thought that the Spaniard will stay in Italy with Como, where he will lead them to the Champions League or Europa League in 2026/27.

One of the more realistic candidates seems to be Andoni Iraola.

Another native of Spain, the Basque-born coach has confirmed that he will leave Bournemouth at the end of the season. That’s good news for any claimants because they won’t have to pay a penny in compensation.

The latest on Chelsea’s interest comes from Football.London who report that they have opened ‘preliminary’ talks with Iraola’s camp over a move this summer.

The talks have not progressed at all, but they have reached the point of discussing the Spanish manager’s plans for when he leaves the Vitality Stadium.

Why Iraola could be Chelsea’s new Maresca

How BlueCo must be eager for Enzo Maresca to return to the Chelsea dugout. Although he wasn’t an experienced head coach like Rosenior either, he certainly had a lot more about him. He led them to Club World Cup glory in the summer.

That win now feels like a long time since the team won’t win the league in their last five games.

Under Maresca, it feels like Chelsea have something good going on. After spending years, it finally looks like they have someone who knows what to do with this group of young players. Rosenior, however, was clueless.

Todd Boehly and Co. stopped their project years ago but Iraola can revive it. It is important to note that in terms of style, he and Maresca are very different.

The Italian prefers a slower style of play, one that is more about controlling possession and maintaining balance, about wearing down the team.

Speaking about his style back in 2021, Maresca noted: “The most important is playing positions and strategies. For a coach, it is important to have the mind of a chess player: to build a plan, study counter movements, choose the arrangement of pieces.”

Iraola couldn’t argue more against that. He prioritizes quick changes and high pressure in a popular 4-2-3-1 formation. “It is organized chaos”, said Antoine Semenyo. While Maresca has taken an influence from Pep Guardiola, the Spaniard has been greatly inspired by the ways of Marcelo Bielsa, he is one of Jurgen Klopp this time.

That said, there are many similarities. Importantly, while they have different approaches, they both have a strong and non-negotiable identity, something Rosenior really struggles to cross. They stick to what they believe in. They want things done their way.

The biggest similarity comes from the approach they took. Rarely but following two great football coaches, Guardiola and Bielsa, have found inspiration in football traditions based on the system.

They also had success in smaller groups. While many linked managers, notably Alonso and Enrique, have led many of Europe’s biggest clubs, Maresca and Iraola have made their streaks down.

It was at Leicester City that he once won the championship, and he ended up being the manager of Chelsea. The last time, it was at Rayo Vallecano in Spain. Two teams not known for their success, are headhunted for their success in relegation or mid-table.

Promisingly, both have proven that their style works. They achieved their high trajectory based on their values, not just results. Yes, football is a results-based business. Rosenior found that out the hard way, but if you can accomplish it while sticking to your vision, it makes you a more impressive coach.

Described as “the best young coach in the world” by Sam Tighe of Sky Sports, it will be interesting to see how this group of players can adapt to Iraola’s tough style of football when he arrives.

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