The clues Enzo Maresca gave away at Man Metropolis unveiling: How he’ll handle after messy Leicester and Chelsea exits, why he is ‘not apprehensive’ about Rodri’s future or 115 fees and what’s occurring to Jack Grealish

The bald head and stubble had been acquainted, and so was the informal gown sense. However the man who settled into the chair at Manchester Metropolis’s coaching headquarters on Friday was totally different to the one who has occupied it for the final decade.

Actually, drive previous the terraced homes reverse the Etihad Stadium, and the face on a blue mural devoted to Pep Guardiola may simply be mistaken for Enzo Maresca.

However Maresca isn’t Guardiola. As a lot as he admires the person who introduced an unprecedented period of success to Metropolis, shares comparable rules and frolicked with him as just lately as final week, the Italian made it clear at his official unveiling that he intends to do it his approach.

‘To start with, for me, it is necessary to make it clear that I am right here to do my job in the best way I need,’ stated Maresca, sitting on the Metropolis Soccer Academy beneath a big display screen with a message welcoming him again to the membership the place he was beforehand one among Guardiola’s assistants and supervisor of the membership’s Elite Growth System.

‘I am not right here to attempt to copy somebody. I am simply right here to attempt to do my job; to put in my concept, the best way I see the soccer.

‘Each supervisor is totally different. There may be some comparable ideas, however on the finish, each supervisor is totally different. The way in which we method daily, and the best way we method the video games. So we’ll see by which approach we have to tweak.

That is Maresca’s third spell at Metropolis, having been one among Pep Guardiola’s assistants within the 2020-21 and 2022-23 seasons, both facet of a short stint as Parma supervisor

‘I do not assume there are managers that they simply copy and paste from one other supervisor (repeating a phrase that Guardiola utilized in his closing press convention). I most likely do not see the soccer in the identical approach as the opposite supervisor, in order that’s why I do not imagine in copy and paste.

‘I spoke with Pep quite a bit since he determined to depart the membership. I used to be with him per week in the past, and we spent some hours collectively. The connection with Pep has at all times been very shut since I used to be with the Beneath 23s.

‘He must get pleasure from his second. After 10 years taking part in each three days, it is fairly demanding, and I feel now he deserves to loosen up – and I additionally must do my job and discover the options for myself.’

Trying tanned and relaxed in a black T-shirt, the 46-year-old needed to face some thorny points on Friday after prefacing his opening press convention by providing condolences to the household of Kevin Keegan, who was supervisor of this membership for 4 years.

There was the matter of his acrimonious departure from Chelsea, who put out a press release after he was confirmed as Guardiola’s successor final month claiming that his resignation after a yr in cost was as a result of his ‘head and coronary heart had been centered on one other membership and one other alternative’. Metropolis ended up paying their rivals £17million in compensation. Maresca selected his phrases rigorously.

‘I’ve been fairly fortunate by way of my former golf equipment, Leicester and Chelsea,’ stated the Italian, who gained the Membership World Cup and UEFA Convention League at Stamford Bridge. I feel we did an excellent job in each golf equipment. The id of the group was clear. The success of the group was clear. However now I feel we’re right here right this moment. That’s an important factor. Nearly Metropolis. Nothing so as to add.’

Then there are the 115 Premier League fees that also dangle over Metropolis. Is it one thing that issues him?

‘No, to be sincere,’ he replied. ‘The one factor I can say is that three years in the past, within the Treble season, I used to be right here and there have been the identical phrases about this sort of downside. In three years, it’s nonetheless the identical. So nothing occurred.’

‘I most likely do not see the soccer in the identical approach as the opposite supervisor, in order that’s why I do not imagine in copy and paste’

Maresca was a part of the Treble-winning teaching workers and has relationships nonetheless with the gamers from that group together with Erling Haaland (proper)

After Elliot Anderson was unveiled as Metropolis’s new £116m signing this week, one among Maresca’s first duties can be to resolve the way forward for Rodri, who has been linked with a transfer to Actual Madrid as he enters the ultimate yr of his contract on the Etihad.

To start with, the Spaniard will endure again surgical procedure on Monday after successful the World Cup final weekend. Maresca wasn’t giving a lot away apart from to say that Rodri stays a key a part of his captaincy committee following the departure of Bernardo Silva to Madrid on a free switch this summer time.

‘We’ve on this second three gamers with Ruben (Dias), Rodri, and Erling (Haaland),’ added Maresca. ‘Most likely we want some extra as a result of Bernardo left, however we are going to determine about that.

‘I feel each supervisor needs to have Rodri as a result of he is a prime participant. However (he could have) surgical procedure on Monday, and he wants a vacation. He must relaxation. He must recuperate, after which he can be again right here with us. Round massive gamers, there may be at all times hypothesis. I am not apprehensive about that, I feel it is regular.’

There was an analogous stance over goalkeeper James Trafford, who’s being closely linked with Leeds.

‘When the switch window is open, now and in January, something can occur. So we’ll see. However for the time being, he’s one among our keepers,’ stated the brand new Metropolis boss.

Maresca was requested about two of the gamers – Phil Foden and Jack Grealish – who’ve struggled at occasions since successful the Treble within the 2022-23 season when he was by Guardiola’s facet.

Foden signed a brand new four-year contract this week, however Maresca’s remark that Grealish is a ‘Man Metropolis participant for the time being’ doesn’t bode nicely for the person who spent final season on mortgage at Everton.

Maresca insisted he’s ‘not apprehensive’ about the way forward for Spain’s World Cup-winning captain Rodri, regardless of the Metropolis midfielder being linked with a transfer to Actual Madrid

Maresca with Jack Grealish after successful the Treble. The England winger’s future is unsure after his mortgage to Everton final season

‘I simply need Phil to be the Phil that everyone knows, however particularly the Phil that all of us need,’ stated Maresca, who revealed that he spoke to Foden after he was unnoticed of England’s World Cup squad. ‘To start with, for him as a result of he must get pleasure from soccer and normally. Second, as a result of I understand how good Phil is. With Phil in a good condition, in an excellent temper, we are able to win video games.’

So what would success seem like subsequent season to the person who has the unenviable job of filling Guardiola’s sneakers?

‘I am right here figuring out that this can be a membership that should win titles,’ Maresca replied. ‘However in case you simply concentrate on the ultimate goal, you miss all of the earlier half. I like the daily. I like to do my job. I like to arrange classes, to spend time with the gamers, after which on the finish, for certain, the goal is to win titles with this membership.’

Both approach, the brand new man is set to be his personal man.