A familiar face, a familiar feeling

Enzo Maresca stood in front of the press for the first time as Manchester City manager and let slip a line that cut through the usual managerial platitudes. “I feel like I’m back home,” he said. That word — home — carries weight for a man who has already been here before, as EDS manager and as Pep Guardiola’s assistant during the 2022-23 season. He knows where the kettle is, so to speak.

The Italian didn't stop there. He spoke about the club having just three managers in 17 years. “That is not normal and has not happened often,” he noted. He is right. It is almost unheard of in modern football.

The envy of the league

Consider the alternative. Maresca left his post as Chelsea manager last season. At Chelsea, they are erratic operators in the transfer market and have gone through a staggering amount of managers in recent years. At City, the hierarchy provides stability and the ability to work as he sees fit. The difference is night and day.

Maresca praised the stable environment that City has created. He believes that the patience and time that the City hierarchy typically provides is the ideal setting for him. “The organisation is the main thing,” he said.

That organisation has a track record. Roberto Mancini and Manuel Pellegrini were given time to establish their styles and both won the Premier League and a domestic trophy. Then came Guardiola.

Learning from the best

Pep Guardiola spent a decade as City manager. The hierarchy allowed him the space he needed to successfully implement his philosophy and standards. The result? Twenty trophies in a decade. Guardiola often praised the board for allowing him that time and space. Maresca knows this better than most — he watched it from the inside.

“I consider Pep the best coach in the world in the last 20 to 25 years,” Maresca said. “It is a challenge.” He is not naive about what follows a long-serving legend. “Also, in the history of managers with many years at the same club, [their replacements] struggle a bit. Sir Alex, Arsene… but it is also a challenge to do the right things.”

He is confident, though. “I am confident that we can continue to do a great job and continue to do the job that has been done in the last 13 years, since Roberto Mancini was here.”

The ingredients are there. The club will give Maresca the time he needs to succeed. The question is whether he can cook the meal.