Enzo Maresca, the newly appointed manager of Chelsea, emphasized the importance of reestablishing a strong connection between the club and its supporters after a challenging two-year period at Stamford Bridge.
Maresca, who previously managed Leicester City, succeeded Mauricio Pochettino last month following the Argentine’s departure by mutual consent. The 44-year-old Italian garnered praise from Chelsea’s leadership after leading Leicester back to the Premier League on his first attempt.
“For me, it’s quite clear we need to create as soon as possible the right mentality, the right culture — a culture that the fans can be proud of the team,” Maresca stated on the club’s website.
“We’re going to try to be an aggressive team on the ball and off the ball. We need to create this connection between the fans and the club, especially at home.”
During Pochettino’s tenure, as well as under his predecessors Graham Potter and interim manager Frank Lampard, the home game atmosphere was often tense, with fans expressing frustration towards the players, management, and club officials.
Despite losing only one of their final 15 league matches and securing a spot in the Europa Conference League, Chelsea ended the season without a trophy for the second consecutive year.
“When you join a club like Chelsea, you have to know it’s a club that has to win,” Maresca remarked.
“For us, we’re going to try to do our best to be there, to fight and to compete with the clubs that in this moment are winning and fighting to win titles.
“One of the reasons I’m here is because I’m convinced that the squad is very good. It’s full of talent, so the most important thing now is that we are able to create the right culture to drive us through the season.”
