31 Dec 2025 21:06:02
Enzo Maresca was not sick post Bournemouth. Understand he chose not to attend the post-match press conference because he is in the middle of making a decision as he considers his options at the club.
Understand Maresca continues to be frustrated by aspects of the Chelsea project affecting his independence to make decisions and strategic elements don’t always align with how he wants to manage the team (The same as Poch) .
This led to his post-Everton comments, which had been brewing for some time.
Maresca had said publicly he loves Chelsea as a club and its fanbase and relishes the pressure of delivering results, but my understanding is he is struggling to work within certain conditions
This is a huge power play between Maresca and the sporting directors. Question is? who do my fellow posters want to come out on top? Maresca or the sporting directors?
Don't sit on the fence, Maresca or the sporting directors?
01 Jan 2026 00:16:46
I won't get into the politics it's embarrassing but one of these parties won the CWC with an average squad.
The other party has spent 2bn on an extremely average squad after inheriting a champions league winning one, fell out of favour with 3 managers now and are paying raheem sterling 350k to sit at home.
The sad thing is i can go on and on.
01 Jan 2026 00:54:12
RPD, I believe there will only one winner. The SD’s are part of the owners long term plan. If EM now wants out or wants to change the plan, I think he has zero chance.
I have had two comments made to me recently both of which I posted, it now looks as if they were both true.
Im personally not a fan of changing managers mid season but we have won them champs League twice when we’ve done it before. ?.
01 Jan 2026 07:40:24
If I had to pick between the two options, I’d pick the SD’s. As mentioned in an earlier post, I don’t think their squad building has been as bad as some believe, yes there’s been misses and key positions need to be added, but I think the squad that’s been built could / should be used better.
Everything else aside, I think it’s pretty disgraceful and unprofessional that Maresca dodged the press conference, feels like he’s trying to force the clubs hand into sacking him.
01 Jan 2026 08:45:20
Don't still understand reason managers are not involved with transfers even when they are the main unit that use the players.
Boely and Co. are resolute with keeping Chelsea a mid table club just to achieve their business goals. Unfortunately, Chelsea is above such clime now the fans are already spoilt with success from roman abrahimovic era. All these mess where created by the Boely and Co. but Maresca could be made the scapegoat.
Whether Maresca leaves or not, the damage Boely and Co. have brought will eventually be brought to fore. Like I usually do, Maresca should not leave and the owners should review their selfish transfer policy for Chelsea and not make Maresca the scapegoat.
01 Jan 2026 08:26:10
Let's hope so J.
Waking up the past year from anywhere between 12-4am to watch this team is starting to take it's toll.
The Maresca experiment has had some good days but he isn't the guy for us for the next 5-10 years. Let the youth we have express themselves.
Maresca and his tactics might be better suited to Italian football anyway.
01 Jan 2026 09:04:14
J, we don’t know the reasons why EM wasn’t at the post match press conference. He could easily have been told to miss it and attend a board meeting. As always we are all guessing.
01 Jan 2026 09:14:03
I think it was RBD who put a table with our nett spend and although that format is never accurate it does also emphasise the fact we have sold players for decent money as well as spending lots.
I had zero issues with the squad being rebuilt. As I said at the time, I was worried they would try and move to quickly and to my mind they did. To be fair they then put in a structure that those decisions away from the owners. Sterling was part of that early scramble.
I wouldn’t have looked to change manager now but if it is to happen so be it. Yes, EM was our manager when we win them champs League CWC but the majority of players on the pitch that day were bought by the club not EM.
I have asked the guy who told me he would get the sack if we didn’t win against Bournemouth to give me an update on EM and if he is leaving who is likely to replace him.
01 Jan 2026 09:26:25
Both Maresca and the sporting directors do some things well and some things not so well but the club do have a structure in place and all parties are privy to that and accepted it when appointed so if the rumours are to be believed that Maresca has fallen out with his bosses over policy and recruitment then he will be the one to go and I think he will end up at Man City next season.
I must say the crowd on tuesday started to turn on him when Palmer was subbed off and again at the final whistle and I wouldn't be surprised if he leaves this month.
01 Jan 2026 09:59:51
Thats fair J. Considering both Tuchel and Poch walked though due to disagreements, and now likely Maresca. Would you say its more of a problem with the hierarchy?
With reports of them going into the dressing room after every game and infamously suggesting a '4-4-3 formation' i really can't get behind anyone but the manager.
01 Jan 2026 11:22:39
I'm just trying to recover from last night's festivities (another word for drinking too much) .
I have been reading the various posts, and I have to say that if it is true that it's the clubs policy to rotate players and not Maresca's then firstly I owe him an apology but more importantly, it's really poor how the club is being run by the owners and SD's.
That being said, i don't like the way maresca has played this out in the media and it seems to mirror Conte's antics.
If he wants to go, let him but with no compensation, if he does not like that then he stays in charge until the summer.
As you all know, I'm not a fan of his dire football which is more at home in Italian football.
Personally I think that all parties will agree to limp to the end of the season.
01 Jan 2026 12:02:56
Bill, again only guessing but if EM resigns then I doubt he will get any compensation.
My guess is the board will give a vote of confidence and then see what happens.
The TT comparison probably isn’t valid, from what I gather about him being could have an argument looking in the mirror. I am biased but for Poch should never have been appointed so I lost no sleep when he left.
01 Jan 2026 12:31:12
Ok, I was wrong about limping to the end of the season.
01 Jan 2026 12:37:36
He 100% didn't miss the press conference because of a board meeting. What an absurd take haha.
01 Jan 2026 12:41:13
Blimey Melbourne. Haven't seen you post in years. Hope you've been well mate.
01 Jan 2026 13:30:51
Or maybe not bill.
01 Jan 2026 13:42:49
Can i ask what it is the sporting directors do well greenaway?
01 Jan 2026 13:50:31
Melbourne, you may we be right and I’m only guessing and putting up different ideas.
At the moment I’m only believing what my mate has told me over the last week or so. He seems to be getting some good ish info.
01 Jan 2026 13:51:27
Would have wanted Maresca at meast to see out the season. Am worried who will be got to replace him.