On some level, I’m amused by the fact that this article immediately follows the analysis piece, which concludes that Kieran McKenna is the more ideal candidate for the Chelsea job. He’s not the ideal, but he is more ideal.
So of course the two “new favorites” for the job at the two people who are less ideal, namely Enzo Maresca and Roberto De Zerbi. Trust the process!
The Independent report that both Chelsea and Manchester United have “some concerns” over Kieran McKenna making the “leap [to] the greater pressure of one of the Premier League’s biggest clubs”. Confusingly, no such concerns exist over Enzo Maresca making a similar leap. A 14-game, 4-win stint at Parma that ends in a November sacking is apparently all the preparation you need!
The report does clarify that Maresca is the favorite of “the club’s football hierarchy” (so the sporting directors?) while De Zerbi is Behdad Eghbali’s preferred choice. Well, we know who wins that battle, right, Todd? “The technical hierarchy believe Maresca is a better fit, since he would purely be coming in as a head coach [while] De Zerbi is viewed as a more prickly and abrasive character.” Considering our Brighton connections and De Zerbi’s “irreconcilable differences” leading to his exit from there just a few weeks ago, it would be entirely unsurprising if our ex-Brighton crew would prefer not to deal with him.
Maresca has been on our shortlist from the beginning, while De Zerbi is apparently our “mystery” candidate. It should be noted that not everyone agrees on the latter part, with The Athletic for example still not including him in their reporting. The Athletic also still include Thomas Frank as a realistic candidate, while the Independent claims that he “has been considered, but is right now seen behind both Maresca and De Zerbi by some distance”.
But with most sources agreeing that McKenna is out of the running, it looks like Maresca might actually get the nod … to stay with Leicester city. What Behdad wants, Behdad gets!
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