Marc Cucurella states Chelsea were incorrect to dismiss Enzo Maresca in January, asserting that it has resulted in “instability”, and articulated his disappointment regarding the club’s recruitment strategy.
Maresca was let go on New Year’s Day when Chelsea held the fifth position in the Premier League table. This occurred six months after the London squad secured the Club World Cup with a decisive 3-0 victory over European champions Paris Saint-Germain.
Liam Rosenior became his successor. While Cucurella was cautious not to criticize the former Hull and Strasbourg head coach, he conveyed his dismay clearly concerning Maresca’s exit.
In an extensive interview with the Athletic, the Spanish international remarked: “The moment Maresca departed, it had a profound impact on us. These are choices made by the club. If you had asked me, I personally would not have made this particular decision. To implement an alteration like that, the most prudent course of action is to await the conclusion of the season. This would afford everyone—the players and the new manager—ample time to prepare, to undergo a complete pre-season…”
“The volatility surrounding the club essentially stems from this. We initially had an interim coach [former under-21s coach Calum McFarlane], and subsequently a new manager, arriving with fresh concepts but insufficient time to implement them. Such is the situation.”
Rosenior struggling due to Chelsea’s busy schedule – Cucurella
Chelsea are now positioned sixth in the league and have been eliminated from the Champions League following an 8-2 aggregate defeat to PSG.
A sequence of six losses across 12 games has intensified the feeling of despondency at Stamford Bridge. However, Cucurella attributes their recent setback to a packed match schedule, which has diminished the available preparation time under the current manager.
He further added: “Liam is an excellent individual and has proven adept at managing the squad, including all its personalities. He prefers to maintain proximity to us, and his tactical concepts are sound, but we lack the opportunity to practice them.”
“We practice during actual matches, since we play every three days. This leaves you with no duration to work on the dedicated practice field. Under these circumstances, it is expected that your strategies sometimes fail to work out, and then we experience challenging periods.”
“With Enzo Maresca at the helm, we were more stable because we collaborated for 18 months. If you consider our initial pre-season with him, there were uncertainties. You require a method for every player to comprehend what we need to do. In our final months with Maresca, we played almost instinctively. If we altered the scheme, we understood what was required. You necessitate that duration.”
“Consider Arsenal now, who are currently vying for every piece of silverware. They’ve been under [Mikel] Arteta for nearly seven years, and they haven’t secured significant victories. But that faith in the initiative yields benefits.”
Chelsea’s transfer policy frustrates Cucurella
Since their acquisition by Todd Boehly and the Clearlake Capital consortium in 2022, Chelsea’s recruitment strategy has focused on targeting young players capable of being nurtured. However, Cucurella perceives that this dearth of seasoned players proved detrimental during their encounter with PSG.
“Outcomes like that are always challenging to accept,” he mentioned. “You are contending and drilling every day, only to ultimately understand, at the very end, that when crucial matches arise, we are still somewhat distant from the elite standard.”
“I appreciate that this is a component of the club’s strategy, and that they wish to pursue this path — recruiting young players and focusing on future prospects. Yet, for all of us remaining here who aspire to achieve major accolades, instances like this make you feel demotivated.”
“We possess a solid group of players. The fundamental elements are present. But to compete for significant silverware such as the Premier League or the Champions League, it requires additional elements. Recruiting exclusively young players might hinder accomplishing those objectives. Against PSG, we lacked individuals who had experienced similar circumstances.”
“You necessitate patience as well, and I recognize that the young players are the ones who will gain wisdom subsequently. But it is essential to strike an equilibrium between both perspectives.”
Cucurella is presently away representing his country but will rejoin the Chelsea squad this coming weekend when they face League One strugglers Port Vale in the FA Cup quarter-finals.