Normally I wouldn't pay too much attention to what this account says, but they were reporting that Maresca was going and everything that followed before everyone else so who knows.

I have been trying to piece together the story behind Maresca's departure and have come up with a 'theoretical explanation'. I am not trying to defend Maresca, everyone has their own opinion of him and his football, but I am trying to piece together a narrative that illustrates the royal sh*t show Eghbali and Co. are running. I am too lazy to quote any sources - my claims are based on complete conjecture, so make of it as you will (with a pinch of salt).

1. Go back to the beginning. Do you see the pattern?

   • Tuchel; elite level - walked after not being happy with Boehly (and friends?) sticking their grubby fingers in his pie.

   • Potter; fish out of water - euthanised.

   • Lampard; interim - enough said.

   • Poch - pseudo elite level - at the end of the season he sat down with the board and thought, "Yeah, nah. I am not going to achieve anything with these guys".

   • Maresca - wannabe elite level - he didn't get sacked, he walked.

2. Maresca is not an idiot. Before coming here he would have done his due diligence and knew what he was getting into before coming here. He would have had his agents speak to the agents of Poch and Tuchel to get the lowdown on why they left, and they would have said the same thing. Too much interference from the top and their job was untenable.

3. When negotiating his contract I reckon Maresca would have tried to include something to give him more control if he performs well. I don't know how strong these terms would have been. In his first season he achieves the goals of getting the club back in the the Chamipons League, winning the Conference League, and also winning the Club World Cup, so he thinks he is in some position to negotiate to gain more managerial control.

4. At the start of the season he gets his agent to speak to the club, and the club refuse his requests, perhaps delaying talks to the end of the season. In the meantime, the medical department is giving him directions for substitutions and Eghbali (and Co.) is telling him he needs to play younger players more to keep up their book value. Maresca doesn't always follow these directions, but is getting results, 2nd or 3rd on the table, so not too many qualms.

5. Discussions between his agent and the club are going nowhere, he gets frustrated and appoints Mendes as his new agent in October. Mendes gets Maresca meetings with City and Juventus for Eghbali (and Co.) to take notice and talk (even though they do not amount to anything). Eghbali (and Co.) sees through this ploy. Sometime after the Barca game Eghbali meets with Maresca and rips through him, probably telling him that he has no chance of increasing his managerial control.

6. Then the bullsh*t starts happening, results and performances start going south. Maresca starts making some (more) questionable tactical decisions during games, either based on a resentful obsequiousness of the club's directives so he can stuff poor results in the face of Eghbali (and Co.), or as a form of self-sabotage to try and get sacked.

7. In the "48 hours" before the Everton game, Maresca gets a dressing down in the boardroom once again, and it explodes. He threatens to quit, Eghbali (and Co.) remind him of his contractual obligations and the penalties if he walks. The bullsh*t continues. Eghbali (and Co.) are smart enough to know it is no good holding on to a disgruntled employee so they begin sounding out alternatives.

8. More bullsh*t happens, and come the Bournemouth game, Maresca asks Caballero to talk to the press while he gets on the phone with Mendes to tell him he wants out and to negotiate an exit from the club. The club knows they have to negotiate an exit package, even though the contract might strictly say otherwise, as they need to control the narrative of Maresca's departure otherwise they don't stand a chance in hell of attracting anyone half-decent. Pay him so he shuts up. NDA's, $ and terms take a couple of days and Maresca is unceremoniously removed from Clearlake's payroll on Jan 1.

9. The club now, I reckon, finds themself in a bit of a pickle.

   • There really isn't anyone decent available - at least not anyone decent who is willing to let others call the shots (hence why it won't be Xavi).

   • They could poach another manager from another club mid-season, but last time they tried that it didn't pan out too well. You are hardly ever in a good negotiating position mid-season, and again, of the names being bandied about, who would seriously want to? Iraola? Howe? Farioli?

   • Interim manager for the rest of the season? Who? Someone internal? FSW? Allardyce?

   • So it comes to Rosenior. I highly doubt he is anything else but a plan B, otherwise he'd be in by now. Eghbali (and Co.) have known that Maresca's tenure at Chelsea has been at risk since mid-December, and they have had all that time to get their ducks in a row. A manager at another Clearlake owned club shouldn't be too much trouble to poach even though they would have to find a replacement. The board have got the PR department to work on this one, saying that they are "really impressed with Resenior's work at Strasburg", to ease the fanbase's concerns when it eventuates.

10. We can all see how this is going to end up. Should we even bother?

If Liam comes in I am betting immediately he’s gone by the summer and he doesn’t lead us into the 26/27 season.

Complete and utter sh*te show

No wonder he was talking to other clubs. BUT I know we talked to De Zerbi BEFORE appointing Maresca, but surely not again before this season ? Doesn't sound right to me

Chelsea met with Marseille boss Roberto De Zerbi in the summer, prior to the sacking of Enzo Maresca, but the Blues are playing down the prospect of appointing the former Brighton head coach. Maresca was axed on New Year's Day and the club are now searching for replacements, with Strasbourg's Liam Rosenior a current frontrunner.

Edited January 3Jan 3 by The Rising Sun
Info

7 hours ago, El regreso said:

If Liam comes in I am betting immediately he’s gone by the summer and he doesn’t lead us into the 26/27 season.

Complete and utter sh*te show

I'd say it depends more in whether he follows orders than whether he gets results. Assuming we have a poor second half of the season, Clearlake and the SD's will pin the blame on Maresca now.

38 minutes ago, forbzy said:

I'd say it depends more in whether he follows orders than whether he gets results. Assuming we have a poor second half of the season, Clearlake and the SD's will pin the blame on Maresca now.

They should know by now the fans won’t buy whatever they are selling

On 28/12/2025 at 21:38, Sexyfootball said:

No manager is walking away from a potential seven figure pay off ... he'll wait until he's pushed. I imagine the Poch "mutual consent" thing included a large sweetener to agree to that narrative ...

Clearlake are in a bit of a hole here. They can't really sack the directors, as that would be tantamount to an admission that they have bought crap for large fees, and that would probably tank the players'/club's value. They will try and muddle through, and divest as much of their junk stock as they can as they go along for as much as they can get ... and for that they need a manager who will play ball and do what he is told ... and be a convenient excuse for why the players are playing crap !

He’s walked away from a potential 14 million payout, hmmmm interesting

1 hour ago, Jah Blair said:

He’s walked away from a potential 14 million payout, hmmmm interesting

Allegedly.

22 hours ago, Riccardo said:

I have been trying to piece together the story behind Maresca's departure and have come up with a 'theoretical explanation'. I am not trying to defend Maresca, everyone has their own opinion of him and his football, but I am trying to piece together a narrative that illustrates the royal sh*t show Eghbali and Co. are running. I am too lazy to quote any sources - my claims are based on complete conjecture, so make of it as you will (with a pinch of salt).

1. Go back to the beginning. Do you see the pattern?

   • Tuchel; elite level - walked after not being happy with Boehly (and friends?) sticking their grubby fingers in his pie.

   • Potter; fish out of water - euthanised.

   • Lampard; interim - enough said.

   • Poch - pseudo elite level - at the end of the season he sat down with the board and thought, "Yeah, nah. I am not going to achieve anything with these guys".

   • Maresca - wannabe elite level - he didn't get sacked, he walked.

2. Maresca is not an idiot. Before coming here he would have done his due diligence and knew what he was getting into before coming here. He would have had his agents speak to the agents of Poch and Tuchel to get the lowdown on why they left, and they would have said the same thing. Too much interference from the top and their job was untenable.

3. When negotiating his contract I reckon Maresca would have tried to include something to give him more control if he performs well. I don't know how strong these terms would have been. In his first season he achieves the goals of getting the club back in the the Chamipons League, winning the Conference League, and also winning the Club World Cup, so he thinks he is in some position to negotiate to gain more managerial control.

4. At the start of the season he gets his agent to speak to the club, and the club refuse his requests, perhaps delaying talks to the end of the season. In the meantime, the medical department is giving him directions for substitutions and Eghbali (and Co.) is telling him he needs to play younger players more to keep up their book value. Maresca doesn't always follow these directions, but is getting results, 2nd or 3rd on the table, so not too many qualms.

5. Discussions between his agent and the club are going nowhere, he gets frustrated and appoints Mendes as his new agent in October. Mendes gets Maresca meetings with City and Juventus for Eghbali (and Co.) to take notice and talk (even though they do not amount to anything). Eghbali (and Co.) sees through this ploy. Sometime after the Barca game Eghbali meets with Maresca and rips through him, probably telling him that he has no chance of increasing his managerial control.

6. Then the bullsh*t starts happening, results and performances start going south. Maresca starts making some (more) questionable tactical decisions during games, either based on a resentful obsequiousness of the club's directives so he can stuff poor results in the face of Eghbali (and Co.), or as a form of self-sabotage to try and get sacked.

7. In the "48 hours" before the Everton game, Maresca gets a dressing down in the boardroom once again, and it explodes. He threatens to quit, Eghbali (and Co.) remind him of his contractual obligations and the penalties if he walks. The bullsh*t continues. Eghbali (and Co.) are smart enough to know it is no good holding on to a disgruntled employee so they begin sounding out alternatives.

8. More bullsh*t happens, and come the Bournemouth game, Maresca asks Caballero to talk to the press while he gets on the phone with Mendes to tell him he wants out and to negotiate an exit from the club. The club knows they have to negotiate an exit package, even though the contract might strictly say otherwise, as they need to control the narrative of Maresca's departure otherwise they don't stand a chance in hell of attracting anyone half-decent. Pay him so he shuts up. NDA's, $ and terms take a couple of days and Maresca is unceremoniously removed from Clearlake's payroll on Jan 1.

9. The club now, I reckon, finds themself in a bit of a pickle.

   • There really isn't anyone decent available - at least not anyone decent who is willing to let others call the shots (hence why it won't be Xavi).

   • They could poach another manager from another club mid-season, but last time they tried that it didn't pan out too well. You are hardly ever in a good negotiating position mid-season, and again, of the names being bandied about, who would seriously want to? Iraola? Howe? Farioli?

   • Interim manager for the rest of the season? Who? Someone internal? FSW? Allardyce?

   • So it comes to Rosenior. I highly doubt he is anything else but a plan B, otherwise he'd be in by now. Eghbali (and Co.) have known that Maresca's tenure at Chelsea has been at risk since mid-December, and they have had all that time to get their ducks in a row. A manager at another Clearlake owned club shouldn't be too much trouble to poach even though they would have to find a replacement. The board have got the PR department to work on this one, saying that they are "really impressed with Resenior's work at Strasburg", to ease the fanbase's concerns when it eventuates.

10. We can all see how this is going to end up. Should we even bother?

It’s no surprise that after his sacking the only Chelsea player to be rushed onto an emergency interview for the to come and and say how devastated everyone was is Pedro Neto, the other player with Mendes as his agent.

Maresca got too big for his boots, tried to use a super agent to black mail the club. Now the super agent is covering himself after f**king it up so bad the manager had to leave.

1 minute ago, GarnachoCheese said:

It’s no surprise that after his sacking the only Chelsea player to be rushed onto an emergency interview for the to come and and say how devastated everyone was is Pedro Neto, the other player with Mendes as his agent.

Maresca got too big for his boots, tried to use a super agent to black mail the club. Now the super agent is covering himself after f**king it up so bad the manager had to leave.

Makes you wonder why we pandered to said super agent with large commissions (TWICE) for Joao Felix ... hopefully they have at least now learned what a little weasel Mendes is !

20 hours ago, The Rising Sun said:

No wonder he was talking to other clubs. BUT I know we talked to De Zerbi BEFORE appointing Maresca, but surely not again before this season ? Doesn't sound right to me

Chelsea met with Marseille boss Roberto De Zerbi in the summer, prior to the sacking of Enzo Maresca, but the Blues are playing down the prospect of appointing the former Brighton head coach. Maresca was axed on New Year's Day and the club are now searching for replacements, with Strasbourg's Liam Rosenior a current frontrunner.

De Zerbi isn't a yes man. The polar opposite.

This is the worst position to be in because even though I am added in the wool Chelsea fan for 53 years I find myself in a situation where I want this guy to fail, even though I know what that means.

I despise this brand of football, and he is even worse than Maresca. Maresca adapted a bit through bitter experience, this guy will just double down. I will gladly revert back to this and tip my hat if I'm proven wrong but I have never been more sure that this will be a total train wreck. We have already proven on countless occasions that we cannot entrust the build up of our play to our most technically limited players. Whether it's through training or the effects of the Trump Cup and no pre season, but we are just not fit enough to recover when pressed and the inevitable mistakes.

If I'm Rob Sanchez, when this gets announced tomorrow, I be telling my agent to get me out in January. Sanchez' stock has not been higher. He has now been recognised as one of the best performing keepers in the league, because we are using him as a goalkeeper. No goalkeeper that is serious about managing their careers will want to play for a team that this clown manages.

25 minutes ago, WhiteWall said:

No goalkeeper that is serious about managing their careers will want to play for a team that this clown manages.

Step forward Mike Penders !

LOL

2 hours ago, Sexyfootball said:

Makes you wonder why we pandered to said super agent with large commissions (TWICE) for Joao Felix ... hopefully they have at least now learned what a little weasel Mendes is !

And hopefully any of his toxic spawn that remains soon leaves with him (Neto)

2 hours ago, WhiteWall said:

This is the worst position to be in because even though I am added in the wool Chelsea fan for 53 years I find myself in a situation where I want this guy to fail, even though I know what that means.

I despise this brand of football, and he is even worse than Maresca. Maresca adapted a bit through bitter experience, this guy will just double down. I will gladly revert back to this and tip my hat if I'm proven wrong but I have never been more sure that this will be a total train wreck. We have already proven on countless occasions that we cannot entrust the build up of our play to our most technically limited players. Whether it's through training or the effects of the Trump Cup and no pre season, but we are just not fit enough to recover when pressed and the inevitable mistakes.

If I'm Rob Sanchez, when this gets announced tomorrow, I be telling my agent to get me out in January. Sanchez' stock has not been higher. He has now been recognised as one of the best performing keepers in the league, because we are using him as a goalkeeper. No goalkeeper that is serious about managing their careers will want to play for a team that this clown manages.

I highly doubt Rosenior comes in and focuses his attacking game plan through Cucurella and Gusto in the half space. That on its own is a huge bonus.

29 minutes ago, GarnachoCheese said:

I highly doubt Rosenior comes in and focuses his attacking game plan through Cucurella and Gusto in the half space. That on its own is a huge bonus.

Where else are they going to go when he tries to play Sanchez in the pivot alongside Fernandez

Thankfully the bald fraud c**t is gone. I like my Chelsea managers to be alpha males so I can man crush on them.

I'm surprised that the bald fraud c**t turned his back on 14 million, probably in a fraudulent, hairless, c**ty attempt to appear to have principles.

Happily we got what what we wanted, although the next guy looks as if the hairline is beginning to recede. I'm also worried about the glasses, unless it's a fashion statement.

Hopefully the receding, blind, fraud, yesman, c**t turns out ok. We should pile in on him anyway just in case.

Was it really a guarantee we wouldn't get top 4 this season under Maresca? Liverpool don't look good at all, and we haven't had Palmer for most of the season

If we end up finishing 9th under Rosenior this is going to look like a stupid decision

We enter the new year with a great squad of young players, with a really bizarre duo of sporting directors and with owners who exude arrogance and incompetence. Our manager today is a good coach - his name is Stuart McFarlane. In all honesty, let him have the job until the end of the season, unless we already have an experienced world class replacement lined up.

Liam Rosenoir as our next manager would be a huge "meh".

3 minutes ago, Drogba1 said:

Was it really a guarantee we wouldn't get top 4 this season under Maresca? Liverpool don't look good at all, and we haven't had Palmer for most of the season

If we end up finishing 9th under Rosenior this is going to look like a stupid decision

It's tight all the way down to 14th. Ten sides will fancy their chances for that CL spot with a decent run in the second half of the season. It will be interesting to see which teams gamble big in the January window

Enzo Maresca played two lost two against city. He leaves and we get a point, can’t be a coincidence.

It really is a shame. The squad today held its own and managed to rescue a point without some of our best players and even without a manager.

If we only get someone who's half decent we'd do so much better.

Unfortunately we're going for another no body that no one's heard of before.

Self inflicted sabotage.

Looking at how well Santos played 2nd half, and also Gusto creating the goal down the right flank, it is a relied that we hooefully wont see the Santos not playing, and Gusto inverting moving forward.

Enough of the over complications.

4 hours ago, TheCeleryKing said:

We enter the new year with a great squad of young players, with a really bizarre duo of sporting directors and with owners who exude arrogance and incompetence. Our manager today is a good coach - his name is Stuart McFarlane. In all honesty, let him have the job until the end of the season, unless we already have an experienced world class replacement lined up.

Liam Rosenoir as our next manager would be a huge "meh".

Thought his name was Calum. I must confess I was expecting something closer to Seth MacFarlane but who'd have thought.