Enzo Maresca moments on his 'brutal' methods as Chelsea manager, his reasonings for Sterling and Chilwell being out of his squad, squad size, Felix announcement and his plans for the UEFA Conference League
21/08/2024
Chelsea Training Ground, Cobham, UK
21/08/2024
Chelsea Training Ground, Cobham, UK
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00:00Hi Jose, nice to see you.
00:02So, we've just had the news through that Yao Felix has joined the club on a long-term deal.
00:09Your reaction, why him?
00:11First of all, because he's a good player and he's a talent, we know already.
00:18The club already knows him from two years ago.
00:23I think the good thing about Joao also is that he can play a different position with us,
00:29he can play inside, he can play as a nine, he can play outside.
00:33So, this is the reason why.
00:36Obviously Conor's gone the other way, do you think fans will understand that deal?
00:41This question is for the fans, I don't know to be honest.
00:44The only thing I can say is that it's not from today,
00:48it's already days or weeks that the agreement is there,
00:55it's closed and then broke and then again.
00:57So, it's not something that it's in the last two or three days,
01:00it's already, as I said, days or weeks.
01:03So, I think it's nothing new.
01:07Just on Felix, obviously a bit too late because you announced the squad will be involved tomorrow night.
01:13Exactly, it's not in the list for tomorrow game.
01:18With Raheem and Ben, will they be training with the rest of the players later on?
01:27In this moment they are training apart.
01:31As I said already the other day, the situation with both of them is quite clear
01:35and there is not any update on the situation.
01:41So, we can move into that, the days at Chelsea are over?
01:46Say again, sorry?
01:47The days at Chelsea are over?
01:50No, because they are Chelsea players.
01:52Until they are Chelsea players, they are going to be Chelsea players.
01:55But I said the other day, we have a big squad and for me it's impossible to give all of them minutes.
02:01So, some of them, if they are looking for minutes, probably it's better to leave
02:06and in case they don't leave, they have a contract here and they are Chelsea players.
02:12I've read the words describing the way you dealt with Raheem and Ben
02:17and potentially other players as well, as brutal.
02:20Do you see yourself as brutal?
02:24Brutal? I don't think so.
02:25I just tried to be honest.
02:29I said, and I can repeat again in case it's not clear,
02:33I spoke with Raheem before the City game.
02:37I said that he's going to struggle to get minutes with us
02:44and this is the reason why he was out of the squad.
02:47And with Chile, I said that he's a lovely guy,
02:50but he's going to struggle because his position with us is going to struggle.
02:55So, if you define this as brutal, it's up to you to decide.
02:59For me, it's not brutal, it's just honest.
03:05Hi Enzo, how are you going to keep all the players you've got happy when they're not playing?
03:12Is that going to be your biggest job?
03:16I think it's the job of all the managers to try to keep all the players happy,
03:21but this is something almost impossible because they train every day to get minutes
03:27and at the end, only 11 are going to play.
03:30Some of them, they want to play some minutes from the bench,
03:33but it's almost impossible to keep all of them happy.
03:37The only thing I can say is the same thing I said to your colleague,
03:42that I try always to be honest with all of them.
03:46In this moment, probably the noise is more outside
03:50because I'm working with 21, 22 players since we are back from USA.
03:56I'm not working with 42 or 43 players,
03:59but I already said it many times,
04:01but I can say that we have 42 or 43 players,
04:07but more than 15 players are training apart,
04:10they are not with the team.
04:12In terms of some of the signings you made this summer,
04:15like Joao Felix now, Pedro Neto,
04:17where are they all going to play?
04:19Because some of them do play in the same position.
04:22Pedro can play right winger, he can play left winger.
04:25Joao can play as an attacking midfielder,
04:28he can play as a nine, he can play as a winger.
04:31And we have many games.
04:34And is it helpful as a coach when all these players are given long contracts?
04:39Because it means if, for example,
04:41you're left with someone like Raymond Sterling,
04:43who is surplus to your requirements here,
04:46he's still got three years left here,
04:48and can say, right, well, I'm the Chelsea player for the next three years.
04:51You know what, him training over the next three years.
04:54But this is not my problem.
04:56I'm here to take decisions and to think who are the best for us.
05:00I'm not thinking about how many years contract, it's not my job.
05:03If they have a six-year contract, but I don't like them,
05:07they can have a 20-year contract, I don't care.
05:10I'm just here to make the right decision for the team.
05:13No more than that.
05:14Then about the contract situation, it's not my job.
05:18One last one from you.
05:19How long will it take you to settle everything down
05:23to get the first XI that you want, the squad that you want,
05:27and for the noise, as you described earlier,
05:30to maybe go away of us not coming here thinking...
05:32No, it's already the first XI we want,
05:35it's already the squad we want.
05:37But the first XI we have against City
05:39is not going to be always the same XI or season.
05:43But the squad that I want in this moment,
05:46as I said again, I repeat again,
05:48I'm not working with 42 players.
05:50That is something that from outside...
05:52I'm working in this moment with 21 players.
05:55Today's session is with 20 players.
05:58Yesterday's session was with 21.
06:00So it's the other 15 or 20, they are training apart.
06:05And in the USA, we are 26 or 27 players.
06:09So it's not...
06:12If they are Chelsea players, 42, 43,
06:15yes, for sure.
06:16But they are not working with me every day.
06:18I don't see them.
06:19So it's not a mess like it looks from outside.
06:26Absolutely not.
06:28Nizo?
06:29Hi Enzo.
06:30If on September 1st you still have Chilwell and Sterling,
06:34will you bring them back into the squad?
06:35Is that the same situation for others as well?
06:37We'll see, we'll see.
06:38Now it's a bit early.
06:39We have still 10 days, 9 days, 10 days
06:42for the Wyndham transfer.
06:44And we'll see.
06:45But as I said many times, many things can happen
06:47in the last week, in the last three days,
06:49in the last 10 days.
06:50So we'll see.
06:51And you left some players out of your UEFA squad already
06:54just because there's a limit at UEFA, right?
06:56Is that going to be an issue potentially
06:58when you get to the group stage?
06:59Do you hope to have a smaller squad
07:01so it's not a problem managing the squad for UEFA?
07:04No, I don't think it's a problem.
07:06The important thing is that each of them,
07:09they know their role.
07:12When the squad will be finished
07:14and we have 25 players,
07:16they are not going to be starter players,
07:20all the 25, because it's something impossible.
07:22And we define that quite clearly.
07:25Are you waiting to define that later on?
07:27Are you waiting to define it in September
07:29once your squad is finished?
07:30Yeah, in this moment, for instance,
07:32Wes Fofana is out,
07:33but it's because he played the other day
07:35and because it's a one-year injury
07:37he cannot play on Thursday.
07:38So some decision is also for...
07:41because we take care of the players.
07:44Rob?
07:45Hi, Enzo.
07:46When you looked at tapes of Chelsea from last season
07:50and seeing how influential and how important
07:53Juan Gallagher was to the team last season,
07:56is it disappointing to you or frustrating
07:59not to have the chance to have him
08:02as part of your first team this season?
08:04No, I said already, I think,
08:06in USA, that in this moment,
08:09it's not only for Chelsea.
08:12Many clubs in this moment,
08:13they are selling players from academy.
08:16That is very sad,
08:17because at the end it's very sad
08:19because we all love...
08:20I mentioned the other day in America,
08:22in Italy we have Totti,
08:24that he played with Roma 20 years,
08:26was his team.
08:28We all love that.
08:29But now in this moment,
08:31the rules are a bit different
08:33and sometimes you need to sell
08:34your academy player
08:36to have 100% profit.
08:39And it's the situation,
08:43but also the rules, they are there.
08:45So we need to try to...
08:48at least to try to respect the rules.
08:50He kind of brought something quite unique
08:53to Chelsea's team last season.
08:54How satisfied are you that you've got
08:57players in your squad now
08:59that can bring what he brought
09:00and do what he did?
09:02I think in the way we want to play,
09:05for sure, unfortunately,
09:07Romeo last year was not fit.
09:09This year started very well
09:11and he can give us also off the ball
09:15a big help.
09:17Then we have Enzo that I think
09:20in terms of personality and character
09:24is quite strong.
09:26So I think we are OK in the way we are.
09:31Andy?
09:52No, it's not late.
09:53No, no, no.
09:54Who played the first game
09:55against Wrexham as a winger?
09:58You remember?
09:59No, I wasn't there.
10:00George, academy player.
10:02Who played the second game
10:03as a winger?
10:04Misha.
10:05Who played the other game?
10:06Raheem.
10:07So it was a chance to see all of them.
10:09So it's not just two days
10:10before the competition,
10:12official competition.
10:13So why does Raheem not fit
10:15into your plans?
10:16What is it about him?
10:18It's not because...
10:20I'm not saying that Raheem
10:21is not a good player,
10:23but I prefer different kinds of wingers
10:26and this is the reason why.
10:30You're quite strong
10:33in respect to...
10:35You don't care about the length of play,
10:37the contracts,
10:38that sort of thing.
10:39You're about the team.
10:40Do you feel sympathy
10:42for those who are training alone
10:44how they must be feeling at the moment?
10:46Oh yeah, for sure.
10:48It's not a comfortable situation
10:52for sure.
10:53I don't have any doubt.
10:54Also because when I was a player
10:56it happened exactly the same with me.
10:57So I know exactly 100% the feeling.
11:00But also I think it's good to know
11:03that if you are going to stay
11:05you are going to struggle
11:06to get minutes.
11:07So probably now in this moment
11:09it's not the best situation
11:11but probably in two days,
11:12in one week,
11:13in ten days
11:14it can be a better situation
11:15because you move
11:16and you join a club
11:18that probably you are going
11:19to play more minutes.
11:22Kieran?
11:24Hi Enzo.
11:25I was actually going to ask you
11:27did you ever go through this
11:28when you were a player?
11:29So when and where did that happen?
11:31And how did you take it?
11:32No, nothing.
11:33You try not to adapt.
11:36You try to find a solution
11:38as soon as possible
11:39because you want to join a club
11:41and to have a session
11:42with more players
11:43and to get minutes.
11:45Can I check on Ruiz-Juventus
11:48in the squad for tomorrow?
11:51Can he actually play?
11:52Ruiz?
11:53No, he's still injured.
11:55So he can't play
11:56because he's not in the squad?
11:57No, he's in the list
11:59but he cannot play tomorrow.
12:01Ben?
12:02Hi Enzo.
12:03How are you doing?
12:04Just in the scenario
12:05when Ruiz is back
12:06and Enzo Fernandes
12:07has been captaining the side
12:08you've been calling the players
12:10just leaders.
12:11Are you in a position
12:12to officially confirm
12:13who is the captain
12:14and who is the vice-captain?
12:16No, Ruiz is the captain
12:17in this moment.
12:18Then we have
12:19three or four more captains
12:20like Enzo.
12:21I would like
12:22I'm thinking
12:23to nominate
12:25one or two new captains
12:27also to give them
12:29more responsibility
12:30in terms of
12:31just not because
12:33we have 20 or 21 years
12:35I cannot be the captain.
12:37Some of them
12:38probably they have to give
12:39one step forward
12:40and to take more responsibility.
12:42For instance
12:43one of the guys
12:44could be Levi
12:45that I think is a young player
12:46fantastic profile
12:48I love Levi
12:49but I think
12:50in terms of personality
12:52if he is able to give
12:53one step forward
12:54in this kind of things
12:56he can become
12:57a complete player
12:58in all the aspects.
12:59But it's not just Levi
13:00I'm thinking about
13:01two or three more.
13:02Have you told the players
13:03officially that
13:04Ruiz knows he is captain
13:05but have any of the vice-captains
13:06been informed
13:07that that is their
13:08official title yet?
13:09I think the other day
13:10it was quite clear
13:11Ruiz was not there
13:14Enzo was on the pitch
13:15and Enzo was the captain
13:16so Enzo is one of the
13:17vice-captains.
13:18So Enzo, Levi, Ruiz
13:20do you think it will be
13:21three or potentially
13:22No, probably
13:23The idea is four or five players
13:25but I said at the beginning
13:26I like in terms of
13:28taking responsibility
13:30I like all of them
13:32to be brave
13:33and to take responsibility
13:34but at the end
13:35it's only one that is
13:37the captain for each game
13:39but I like all of them
13:41that they are
13:42brave enough
13:43to take responsibility
13:44and to be the captain
13:46Simon
13:47We've got to get round then
13:48Simon
13:54Thank you very much
13:56In all honesty
13:57how much pressure
13:58are you under
13:59to win this one?
14:00Everyone expects you
14:01to win this one
14:02So they have actually
14:03played eight games already
14:04they are further on
14:05into the season
14:06How much do you need
14:07to win this
14:08just to get
14:09Chelsea's season going?
14:10Yeah, we need
14:11I said
14:12we try to
14:13win all the games
14:14that we play
14:15The other day
14:16against City
14:17I think the intention
14:18was not to win the game
14:19We try to win
14:20that game
14:21We were
14:22quite close
14:23in terms of score
14:24many different times
14:25and tomorrow
14:26it's a game that
14:27for sure
14:28we want to try
14:29we want to try to win
14:30and hopefully we can win
14:31and start
14:32tomorrow
14:33winning a game
14:34in the
14:35official competition
14:36Because
14:37all due respect
14:38to Zivert
14:39it will be a bit
14:40embarrassing
14:41if Chelsea
14:42ruin
14:43the group phase
14:49Could be
14:50but we'll see
14:51We'll see what
14:52happens tomorrow
14:53We'll see what happens
14:55next week
14:58I'm just
14:59to be honest
15:00I'm just focused
15:01about tomorrow's game
15:02not about
15:03thinking in case
15:04we don't win
15:05or these kind of things
15:07And just noticing
15:08on Sunday
15:09I think the crowd
15:10were getting
15:11a bit frustrated
15:12already
15:13with the style of play
15:14even though
15:15it was just
15:16your first game
15:17I think there's
15:18a clip of you
15:19almost turning around
15:20and sort of
15:21a bit frustrated
15:22Are you hoping
15:23that the crowd
15:24get behind
15:25the team?
15:26Because it is
15:27the start of your process
15:28You need the crowd
15:29behind you
15:30No I said also
15:31at the end of the game
15:32I really like the
15:33environment in the
15:34stadium
15:35and sometimes
15:36we try to
15:37keep a little bit
15:38more the ball
15:39because there is
15:40a chance to attack
15:41So we just try to
15:42keep the ball
15:43and try to move
15:44the opposite
15:45and try to find
15:46the right moment
15:47to attack
15:48So this was
15:49only the reason
15:50why
15:51But I really like
15:52the environment
15:53at the stadium
15:54They were pushing
15:55behind the team
15:56until the end
15:57And for me
15:58the environment
15:59last game
16:00was fantastic
16:01Neil
16:02Are you happy
16:03with
16:04Have you got
16:05everything you want
16:06this summer
16:07in the transfer market?
16:08Are you happy
16:09100%
16:10And you said
16:11we are going to see
16:12more business
16:13more incoming
16:14Do you feel
16:15your business
16:16was complete?
16:17We see
16:18We see
16:19As I said before
16:20still 10 days
16:21Anything
16:22Unfortunately
16:23still 10 days
16:24So anything
16:25can happen
16:26For us
16:27in terms of
16:28bringing new players
16:29but also
16:30selling players
16:31We see
16:32Two more left
16:33Sam
16:34It must be quite
16:35an awkward
16:36and difficult
16:37situation
16:38to have 15
16:39of their teammates
16:40somewhere else
16:41training apart
16:42Do you detect
16:43that in the squad?
16:44Is that important?
16:45Does it matter?
16:46I don't
16:47I don't see
16:48that
16:49to be honest
16:50The only thing
16:51I see
16:52is that
16:53the way
16:54they work
16:55inside the pitch
16:56that is
16:57fantastic
16:58is unbelievable
16:59Then I cannot
17:00see different
17:01kind of things
17:02to be honest
17:03Presumably
17:04you want to
17:05build a sense
17:06of unity
17:07I think
17:08probably
17:09there are
17:10also
17:11different clubs
17:12that probably
17:13not 15
17:14but they are
17:155, 6, 4
17:165, 6, 7
17:17players
17:18that they are
17:19in the same
17:20situation
17:21and I think
17:22at the end
17:23when in 10 days
17:24the window
17:25transfer
17:26finishes
17:27I think
17:28it will be
17:29much better
17:30for all the
17:31clubs
17:32not only
17:33for Chelsea
17:34Last one
17:35Gary
17:37I spoke with
17:38Rahim
17:391v1
17:40the day
17:41before
17:42the day
17:43no no
17:44the day
17:45before City
17:46and I
17:47explained him
17:48exactly the
17:49situation
17:50I don't
17:51see Rahim
17:52after the game
17:53He is
17:54training apart
17:55as I said
17:56but in
17:57case I will
17:58sit with
17:59Rahim
18:00I will
18:01tell him
18:02exactly
18:03the same
18:04things that
18:05he told
18:06me
18:07I don't
18:08have anything
18:09new to tell
18:10him
18:11because I
18:12was quite
18:13clear
18:14okay
18:15Thanks everyone
18:16thank you
18:17Thank you