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      Neil Warnock brands relegated ex-Huddersfield boss Andre Breitenreiter a BUFFOON

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      NEIL WARNOCK has hit back at former Huddersfield boss Andre Breitenreiter – branding him a BUFFOON.The Terriers crashed into League One a year after Warnock rescued them from relegation against the odds.Neil Warnock was a hero at Huddersfield after saving them from relegation in 2023But all that hard work was undone when the Terriers went down under German boss Andre Breitenreiter in MayBut Warnock was surprisingly let go by Huddersfield in September after just seven games while in a solid mid-table position and replaced by Darren Moore.Moore was sacked after only winning three of his 23 games at the helm before Breitenreiter took charge for the final 14 – winning just two.Yet the German decided to dig out Warnock for scathing criticism when he was left following the club’s relegation from the Championship.He accused the legendary 75-year-old – who holds the record for most promotions (eight) and managing most games (1,626) in English football history – of not getting the team fit in a pre-season where he took players for a game of golf and visited a pub while on a short tour of Cornwall.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLBut Warnock hit back and said: “We played Leicester, who won the Championship, third game of the season and should’ve won the game. We lost 1-0.“Jamie Vardy came up to me and said, ‘You’re the hardest team we’ve played against for years.’“Our stats man told me that although we lost that was the most a Huddersfield team had run for three years. That’s how fit we were.“And this buffoon comes along and starts talking about me getting them playing golf and going to the pub.Most read in EFL“In those last 14 games of the season, besides throwing everyone under the bus, the thing he missed out on was he should’ve taken them to play more golf and out to the f***ing pub!”He added: “Different people have different ways of managing. Yes, we went to a pub in Cornwall after a hard game.Neil Warnock and his long-term assistant Ronnie Jepson celebrate safety“We face three non-league teams down there and people can say, ‘Oh, it’s just non-league.’“What people don’t know is they trained morning and afternoon and then played a game in the evening so that was effectively three training sessions.“We went there to get fit. If you asked anyone about hard working teams, I bet I’m in the top two you don’t want to play.“But I love making people feel wanted and happy too as it makes them work and play harder for you.”Warnock says Breitenreiter “lost the dressing room” at Huddersfield, which ultimately led to the team being relegated.He points to the German’s man-management of striker Josh Koroma and midfielder Jack Rudoni as examples.The veteran boss said: “I loved Josh Koroma. He was a rogue but a likeable one. I took him under my wing whereas managers that have followed didn’t rate him and the last one (Breitenreiter) told him only what he was not good at – while I told him what he was good at.Neil Warnock’s on tour NEIL WARNOCK is currently on a UK theatre tour sharing stories and memories from his incredible playing and managerial spanning SEVEN decades.
      Tickets are still available at www.ecmevents.co.uk with almost 1,000 attending his recent event in York.
      TOUR DATES
      June 5 Nottingham
      June 7 Ipswich
      June 8 Wimbledon
      June 14 Portsmouth
      June 21 Cardiff
      June 28 Torquay (all funds to be donated to Torquay United)

      “In the last game of the season against Ipswich he took Jack off after 30 minutes because he made a mistake.“I rang Jack up and said if you made that mistake for me I’d have pulled up over and said, ‘You made a mistake, now go and score us a goal.’“That’s the difference between me and the buffoon.“The lads there were ringing me up, saying, ‘We don’t do set pieces, don’t know what we’re doing on a Saturday.’ “Then he comes out and says that about golf and pubs. The guy hasn’t got a clue has he? Had he stayed there, they’d have got relegated from League One! He lost the dressing room.”Warnock is sorry to see the Terriers in League One and admits he was surprised when CEO Jake Edwards informed him the club wanted to part company with him so early in the season.He said: “Jake told me the club’s owner Kevin Nagle wanted to go in a different direction. Well, they certainly did that!“We believed we could’ve pushed towards the play-offs.Neil Warnock had a special bond with the Huddersfield players“The day after we left, the club’s sporting director Mark Cartwright moved into the nice big office I had while Darren Moore got a pokey little room. I rang Jake a week later and said, ‘If you wanted my office, you didn’t have to sack me!“But we had a great time at Huddersfield.“It wasn’t just the players we got on side but the office workers, the cleaners, the fans who were great, everyone. They were all my boys and girls.“When I went to Sheffield United, the place was a mess but when I left everyone was together. I like to do that – when everyone is together, they work better. It’s a great shame what has happened to Huddersfield.”Warnock – who has had more comebacks than Elvis – insists he has really retired this time after a short spell at Aberdeen.And he is currently focused on helping National League South club Torquay as a consultant.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe legendary boss revealed if he ever did want to return to managing in the EFL he has been told he has to take a FOURTEEN-HOUR football management course at St George’s under ex-Rangers, Brentford, Nottingham Forest and QPR chief Neil Warburton.He said: “I had a call from the LMA and was told, ‘Mr Warnock if you come back into football you have to do a 14-hour course at St George’s before you’re allowed back in.’ That sums the game up now, doesn’t it?” More

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      I was Enzo Maresca’s boss when he played for West Brom – another Chelsea manager used to give him lifts to training

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      WEST BROM’S team of 1998-99 may seem an unlikely breeding ground for future Chelsea managers.But Enzo Maresca is following in the footsteps of his ­former Baggies team-mate Graham ­Potter by being appointed to take charge at Stamford Bridge by American owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali.Enzo Maresca is set to become Chelsea’s latest managerCredit: GettyHe played for West Brom during the 1990s in the ChampionshipCredit: GettyEx-Chelsea boss Graham Potter was a team-mate of his at the HawthornsCredit: PATheir former West Brom boss Denis Smith spoke exclusively to Sun SportCredit: AlamyFull-back Potter used to give teenaged midfielder Maresca a lift to training, after his free transfer from Cagliari.Now he will see his former colleague take the Chelsea job from which he was sacked in April last year.Denis Smith, the Albion manager who brought Maresca to England as a teenager, said: “That’s now two Chelsea managers who have come from that West Brom team I managed — so I must have been teaching them something right!”West Brom finished ­mid- table in the old First Division — now the Championship — before Smith was sacked.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLYet they ended up pocketing a club-record £4million by selling Maresca to Juventus the ­following season.And former Sunderland boss Smith reckons the Italian showed a rare footballing intelligence — even then.Smith, 76, recalled: “I had already brought another Italian — Mario Bortolazzi — to West Brom and the agent asked me to have a look at an 18-year-old kid who was available on a free.“He trained with us for less than half an hour and I told the agent, ‘He’ll do me!’Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS“Enzo could barely speak English but it didn’t matter. He was clearly a bright kid and, boy, could he pick a pass.“If you wanted him to sit in and play as a holding midfielder, he understood that role so well, but he was also very useful going forward. He had pretty much everything.Chelseas midfield struggles with Moises Caicedo and Enzo FernandezMeet Pep Guardiola disciple Enzo MarescaEnzo Maresca is considered among the most exciting young coaches on the planet.

      Born in Italy in 1980, he managed to guide Leicester to the Championship title in his first season as Foxes boss.
      His management career started at Italian minnows Ascoli before he was snapped up by Man City in 2020 to manage their Elite Development Squad.
      He guided the youth team to the Premier League 2 title in his one season working for the Citizens – with Cole Palmer in the side.
      His first senior job was with Parma but he was sacked after just a few months after failing to impress.
      Despite the team playing in Serie B and Maresca having an impressive squad he was unable to get them on course for promotion.
      He returned to Man City and worked as one of Pep Guardiola’s assistants for the 2022/23 season as they won the Treble.
      He took over relegated Leicester last summer and made an immediate impact, with the Foxes winning the Championship title.
      Maresca showed his dedication to the job by living at the training ground for the first two months after his appointment.
      He’s considered something of a Pep disciple and has said: “For a coach, it’s important to have the mentality of a chess player.”
      During his playing career he played under Carlo Ancelotti and Marcello Lippi – and alongside ex-Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi.

      “We got him for free but West Brom ended up selling him to Juventus for a lot of money — after I had been sacked!“Most of the time we were together, I used the other ­Italian lad (Bortolazzi) as a translator.“But Enzo just had such intelligence that it didn’t feel like communication was an issue.“He was only young but when someone reads the game like he could, it doesn’t surprise you when they go on to be successful as a coach and manager.“There weren’t many players coming over from Europe to the First Division back then in the 90s.“But it was a good market of mine, as we proved with Maresca. It was a bold move for him to come to England at such a young age but that intelligence made it easy for him to settle over here.We got him for free but West Brom ended up selling him to Juventus for a lot of money — after I had been sacked!Denis Smith“Professional footballers — as I often tell people — are a more intelligent bunch than they are given credit for and Enzo was one of the brightest.”Maresca would go on to win Serie A with Juventus and two Uefa Cups with Sevilla before he managed Manchester City’s reserves under Pep Guardiola.After a brief unsuccessful spell in charge of Italian Serie B club Parma, Maresca led Leicester to the Championship title last season.After Chelsea triggered his £10million Foxes release clause, 44-year-old Maresca is following Potter into the Stamford Bridge hotseat — vacated by Mauricio Pochettino earlier this month.And their old boss Smith — who also managed York, Bristol City, Oxford and Wrexham — said: “They go through a lot of managers at Chelsea but, however impatient they are, it is still a job Enzo will feel he had to take.“They are one of the biggest clubs in Europe and anyone with ambition would want a crack at it.READ MORE SUN STORIES“The best coaches and managers are the ones who recognise that football is such a complex game but can deliver their messages in simple terms to ­players without over-complicating it.“That is an ability that Graham Potter has and it doesn’t surprise me that Maresca has it, too.”Leicester fans won’t miss MarescaBy Graeme Bryce
      It’s fair to say most Leicester fans were not exactly pleading with Maresca to stay.
      OK, they were not queueing up and offering to drive him to Stamford Bridge.
      But there will not be too many tears shed or much wailing at the King Power either.
      The fans’ attitude to losing their incredibly successful boss could be summed up in a word: ‘Meh’.
      Maresca failed to win over the paying public who never really took to his patient, possession-based style of football.
      Having been brought up — some would say spoiled — by the swashbuckling title winners of 2016, with Jamie Vardy spearheading manager Claudio Ranieri’s shock champions, Maresca never really got off the ground at the King Power.
      So it will be interesting to see what Chelsea’s notoriously impatient fans make of Maresca’s ‘death by a thousand cuts’ style of play.
      It was not long before some of the old-school Leicester fans started moaning that Maresca’s patient, play-out-from-the-back style was becoming too boring to watch.
      During a 3-1 win over Swansea which left them ten points clear at the top, there were moans and groans coming from the stands amid cries of, ‘Get the ball forward’.
      Fans accused him of stubbornly sticking to his Plan A — even when it was not working — and claimed he was way too slow to make substitutions.
      But one thing Blues fans can look forward to is his man-management and his attention to detail.
      And the Foxes players also adored their manager. More

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      Arsenal legend refusing to give up on World Cup 2026 dream despite missing out on international call-up

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      AARON RAMSEY has no plans to call it a day just yet.The injury-plagued Wales captain, 33, was left out of Robert Page’s squad for next month’s friendlies with Gibraltar and Slovakia after playing only 15 times last season.Aaron Ramsey has completed 90 minutes just once for Cardiff since his return to his boyhood club last summerCredit: GettyRamsey did not play a minute as Wales saw their Euro 2024 dream ended by Poland after Dan James missed in the play-off final penalty shootout in MarchCredit: GettyCardiff’s Ramsey was on the bench for the Euro 2024 play-off final penalty shootout defeat to Poland in March due to his lack of match action.The Dragons’ heartbreaking exit prompted fears the ex-Arsenal and Juventus star would follow Gareth Bale and Joe Allen into retirement.But Wales boss Page claims the fire still burns as brightly as ever for the 84-cap midfielder.Ramsey is now focusing on getting fit for pre-season at club level, where he has one year left on his contract.read more in footballPage said: “Only Aaron can answer the question but there’s no alarms raised for me whatsoever.“Having had the conversations with him, he is still passionate about playing football. “He’s just as passionate now as he was five years ago when I first came across him. So there are no issues with that.”Aaron loves the game and lives for it. He will give it everything and give himself the best opportunity to continue playing.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS”He wants to throw full focus and take charge of his own rehabilitation and fitness.”Ramsey played just twice in Wales’ Euro 2024 campaign with his last outing for his country against Latvia nine months ago.Arsenal star looks unrecognisable as he turns up at Wembley playoff final dressed as Harry Potter characterBut the Dragons hope a summer away from international duty will see him return for the Nations League in September.Then Page’s men start their bid to reach the World Cup in 2026 when the qualifiers start next March.When asked if Ramsey can play on until the finals in USA, Canada and Mexico, Page replied: “Who knows? “We’re going to have to see how he gets on in pre-season from a fitness point of view.”It’s well-documented he struggled with his fitness last year. “There’s been nobody more frustrated than Aaron and myself because we all wanted him to come into the camp in March for the play-offs fighting fit. “But we didn’t have that. It was frustrating for all of us.“If he is fit and playing, doing well and being able to play two games a week that we would like him to, then he will be selected.”Veteran goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey, 37, is also out of the 25-man squad with a serious Achilles injury.Fulham star Harry Wilson and David Brooks, who won promotion with Southampton, are also absent with injuries.But Liverpool’s Lewis Koumas, 18, is one of five uncapped players included.WALES SQUAD
      Goalkeepers: Danny Ward (Leicester), Adam Davies (Sheffield United), Tom King (Wolves)
      Defenders: Connor Roberts (Leeds – on loan from Burnley), Fin Stevens (Oxford – on loan from Brentford), Joe Rodon (Leeds – on loan from Tottenham), Chris Mepham (Bournemouth), Ben Cabango (Swansea), Joe Low (Wycombe), Ben Davies (Tottenham), Jay Dasilva (Coventry)
      Midfielders: Ethan Ampadu (Leeds), Jordan James (Birmingham), Josh Sheehan (Bolton), Charlie Savage (Reading), Charlie Crew (Leeds), Wes Burns (Ipswich), Rubin Colwill (Cardiff), Daniel James (Leeds), Rabbi Matondo (Rangers)
      Forwards: Nathan Broadhead (Ipswich), Brennan Johnson (Tottenham), Kieffer Moore (Ipswich – on loan from Bournemouth), Liam Cullen (Swansea), Lewis Koumas (Liverpool)

      The others are Leeds midfielder Charlie Crew, 17, Brentford’s Fin Stevens, who has been on loan at Oxford, Jay DaSilva of Coventry and Wolves’ Tom King.Forward Koumas, son of ex-Wales and West Brom midfielder Jason, made a goalscoring debut for the U21s in March and caught the eye of the Welsh management.Wales travel to the Algarve for a friendly against Gibraltar on June 6 followed by the away clash in the Slovakian city of Trnava three days later.READ MORE SUN STORIESPage added: “He has shown his potential at Liverpool, played first-team games and scored goals. He’s done really well.“Now it’s down to the development of Lewis from a domestic point of view as to what level he can go to. He has shown talent. He’s got an eye for goal and I’m excited to be working with him.” More

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      Plymouth relegation odds plummet after Wayne Rooney appointed manager as decision ‘goes down like a lead balloon’

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      THE odds on Plymouth Argyle being relegated following Wayne Rooney’s appointment as manager have been revealed.The Manchester United legend, 38, was officially confirmed as the Championship outfit’s new gaffer last week.Wayne Rooney took charge of Plymouth Argyle last weekCredit: INSTAGRAM@ONLY1ARGYLEThe Pilgrims’ odds of beating the drop have shorted since his appointmentCredit: APRooney hasn’t fared well in management and was sacked TWICE in five months in the 2023/24 season.He was relieved of his duties by DC United last October, which paved the way for a move to Birmingham City.But a disastrous 15-game run saw the Blues hand him his P45.Roo’s recent managerial woes have sparked fears he could get Argyle relegated to League One next season.READ MORE ON ROONEYThe Pilgrims were 2/1 to slip out of the Championship next season prior to his appointment.But, according to betIdeas, their odds of relegation have SHORTENED to 6/4.Plymouth, of course, beat the drop by a solitary point last season.Rooney knows he’s got a hard job on his hands but is relishing the challenge, saying: “Taking this role at Plymouth Argyle feels like the perfect next step in my career.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSWayne Rooney is relishing his latest foray into managementCredit: PA”And I would like to thank the Chairman and Board for the faith they have shown in me.“This is an opportunity to be part of an exciting project.Wayne Rooney breaks silence after being named Plymouth manager and reveals plan to do something he’s never done before”I look forward to helping to build a squad of players to play expansive football – and to entertain the Green Army.“I have experienced first-hand how talented the existing group of players is here – and also the incredible atmosphere at Home Park.”The club is on an exciting long-term journey, with a progressive plan in place. I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of it.“I can’t wait for the Championship season to start in August.”Plymouth sacked Ian Foster at the beginning of April, with Director of football Neil Dewsnip leading them to Championship safety. More

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      Leicester ‘at risk of Premier League RECORD points deduction’ for breaching financial rules

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      LEICESTER are at risk of receiving a Premier League record points deduction next season.The Foxes are awaiting their penalty for breaching Profit and Sustainability Rules.Leicester could be handed a Premier League record points deduction next seasonCredit: AlamyTheir punishment was avoided last term as Leicester won promotion from the Championship.However, they could now start the upcoming campaign on minus points.According to the Telegraph, the penalty could be anything between six and 15 points.SunSport understands, though, that a 15-point deduction is unlikely but 10 points would still be a Premier League record.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLPortsmouth currently hold the record following their nine-point deduction for entering administration in 2010.Both Everton and Nottingham Forest were docked points last season for PSR breaches, receiving eight and four-point penalties, respectively.Meanwhile, Sheffield United will start the Championship season on minus two points relating to the 2022-23 campaign.Leicester’s predicament stems from breaches prior to their relegation in 2023 after nine seasons in the top flight.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSThe club avoided a points deduction last term after launching a legal case accusing the Premier League and EFL of “unlawfully conspiring” over the charges and asking for an injunction against a penalty before end of the campaign.Manager Enzo Maresca could also leave the King Power Stadium this summer.Jamie and Rebekah Vardy lead Leicester celebrations as thousands flood onto streets for Championship title paradeMaresca is on the verge of replacing Mauricio Pochettino as Chelsea manager.The Italian only took over at Leicester last summer before guiding the Foxes to the Championship title.Premier League sides deducted points and others at risk
      Nottingham Forest
      Deducted four points for breaching Premier League spending limit by £34.563m. Failed in their appeal with decision upheld.
      Everton
      Initial 10-point deduction for 2021-22 Premier League breaches reduced to six points on appeal. Have since been deducted a further two points. Appealed, but since withdrawn following Prem survival.
      Sheffield United
      Hit with a two-point deduction for their finances during the 2022-23 EFL season. Will begin next season on -2 points should they be relegated to the Championship.
      OTHERS WHO COULD FACE PUNISHMENT…
      Manchester City
      Etihad club emphatically denies the 115 allegations laid against them in February 2023. The lengthy Commission case has been scheduled to start in October or November but a final decision is not expected until March or April 2025.
      Chelsea
      Blues chiefs flagged up illicit payments made to agents and others during the Roman Abramovich era. Fined £8.6m by Uefa but still to be formally charged by the Prem despite an ongoing investigation.
      Leicester
      Foxes breached Prem PSR loss limits last season but did not have to report their 2022-23 accounts until this month because of their relegation. That puts the timetable back and means that they will probably face a Prem points deduction next term if they are promoted back to the top flight. More

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      Chelsea reach agreement to hire Enzo Maresca with Mauricio Pochettino’s successor handed mega-contract by Boehly and Co

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      ENZO MARESCA has agreed to become Chelsea’s new manager, according to reports.The 44-year-old succeeds Mauricio Pochettino, who left by mutual consent last week.Enzo Maresca has agreed to become Chelsea’s new managerCredit: GettyMauricio Pochettino left Stamford Bridge by mutual consent last weekCredit: GettyChelsea had considered the likes of Kieran McKenna, Roberto De Zerbi and Thomas Frank for the job.However, Maresca emerged as the overwhelming favourite over the weekend following his success with Leicester City.The Blues will pay Leicester £10million in compensation to formally complete the deal.It is understood Maresca will put pen to paper on a FIVE-YEAR deal – with the option of an extra year until 2030 – before getting to work on stamping his identity on the squad.Read More on FootballThe Italian took over at the King Power Stadium last summer and guided Leicester back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.He won 31 out of 46 Championship games during his only season with the Foxes.Before joining Leicester, Maresca worked for Manchester City as Pep Guardiola’s assistant.He played an important role in guiding the Sky Blues to their historic Treble.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSMeet Pep Guardiola disciple Enzo MarescaEnzo Maresca is considered among the most exciting young coaches on the planet.
      Born in Italy in 1980, he managed to guide Leicester to the Championship title in his first season as Foxes boss.
      His management career started at Italian minnows Ascoli before he was snapped up by Man City in 2020 to manage their Elite Development Squad.
      He guided the youth team to the Premier League 2 title in his one season working for the Citizens – with Cole Palmer in the side.
      His first senior job was with Parma but he was sacked after just a few months after failing to impress.
      Despite the team playing in Serie B and Maresca having an impressive squad he was unable to get them on course for promotion.
      He returned to Man City and worked as one of Pep Guardiola’s assistants for the 2022/23 season as they won the Treble.
      He took over relegated Leicester last summer and made an immediate impact, with the Foxes winning the Championship title.
      Maresca showed his dedication to the job by living at the training ground for the first two months after his appointment.
      He’s considered something of a Pep disciple and has said: “For a coach, it’s important to have the mentality of a chess player.”
      During his playing career he played under Carlo Ancelotti and Marcello Lippi – and alongside ex-Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi.

      Leicester midfielder Harry Winks recently hailed Maresca as an “incredible” manager.He told Sky Sports: “He’s by far the best manager I’ve worked for. He’s incredible.Mauricio Pochettino LEAVES Chelsea despite promising end to season as Blues line up four potential new bosses”Everybody will say he’s going right to the top in terms of managerial stature. He’s got everything. He’s a great man manager.”He’s tactically incredible in some of the decisions that he tells us to do before the game and how he views the match is something I’ve never experienced before in football.”Leicester are considering West Brom boss Carlos Corberan as an option to replace Stamford Bridge-bound Maresca.The ex-Huddersfield manager guided West Brom to the play-offs this season despite not spending a single penny on new signings.Corberan’s men fell short, losing 3-1 on aggregate to eventual winners Southampton in their semi-final.However, the energetic Spaniard’s stock remains high and he is regarded as one of the most tactically astute managers in the Championship.Leicester will also have to replace the majority of their backroom staff.Maresca is set to take the five coaches he brought with him to the club down to West London.READ MORE SUN STORIESEx-Chelsea keeper Willy Caballero, who retired to take up the post last summer, is part of his staff.Also expected to make the move are Danny Walker, Michele De Bernardin, Marcos Alvarez and Javier Molina Caballero.Leicester fans won’t miss MarescaBy Graeme Bryce
      It’s fair to say most Leicester fans were not exactly pleading with Maresca to stay.
      OK, they were not queueing up and offering to drive him to Stamford Bridge.
      But there will not be too many tears shed or much wailing at the King Power either.
      The fans’ attitude to losing their incredibly successful boss could be summed up in a word: ‘Meh’.
      Maresca failed to win over the paying public who never really took to his patient, possession-based style of football.
      Having been brought up — some would say spoiled — by the swashbuckling title winners of 2016, with Jamie Vardy spearheading manager Claudio Ranieri’s shock champions, Maresca never really got off the ground at the King Power.
      So it will be interesting to see what Chelsea’s notoriously impatient fans make of Maresca’s ‘death by a thousand cuts’ style of play.
      It was not long before some of the old-school Leicester fans started moaning that Maresca’s patient, play-out-from-the-back style was becoming too boring to watch.
      During a 3-1 win over Swansea which left them ten points clear at the top, there were moans and groans coming from the stands amid cries of, ‘Get the ball forward’.
      Fans accused him of stubbornly sticking to his Plan A — even when it was not working — and claimed he was way too slow to make substitutions.
      But one thing Blues fans can look forward to is his man-management and his attention to detail.
      And the Foxes players also adored their manager.

      Maresca was Pep Guardiola’s No2 in the Treble-winning season at Manchester CityCredit: GettyChelsea paid £10m to Leicester in compensationCredit: GettyThe Foxes marched to the Championship titleCredit: PA More

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      Inside Russell Martin’s emotional journey from living next to a bookies with an abusive dad to Premier League manager

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      RUSSELL MARTIN has spent his life proving people wrong.From growing up with an abusive dad to being told he was not good enough to make it as a pro.
      Russell Martin led Southampton to promotion on SundayCredit: Rex
      Ending up as a Premier League skipper and international footballer, Martin squeezed every last drop of talent out of his system.
      There were question marks when Saints appointed him on the back of relegation and being forced to sell £140million worth of players.
      So Sunday’s 1-0 win over Leeds — which sparked joyous celebrations on the south coast — was particularly sweet.
      It saw Martin get one over on Daniel Farke, the manager who banished him to Norwich’s Under-23s before terminating his contract.
      READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS
      It also made Martin a Premier League manager at the age of 38.
      He has long been a trailblazer. He was Peterborough’s youngest captain at 21, took over as MK Dons’ boss at 33 and became manager at Swansea at 35.
      Last summer, he arrived at a club in turmoil after a wretched season in which Southampton went through three bosses — Ralph Hasenhuttl, Nathan Jones and Ruben Selles.
      Some fans wanted him axed after four straight losses in September.
      Most read in Football
      Some fans wanted the manager axed back in SeptemberCredit: Rex
      Russell Martin’s managerial career
      MK Dons (2019-21): 80 games, 30 wins, 19 draws, 31 losses – 37.5 win %
      Swansea (2021 – 23): 99 games, 36 wins, 27 draws, 36 losses – 36 win %
      Southampton (2023-present): 54 games, 30 wins, 11 draws, 13 losses – 55.5 win %

      But Martin never deviated from his strong principles of possession-based football and his team went a club-record 25 games unbeaten.
      For much of this season, Southampton had the highest possession percentage of any team in Europe’s top five leagues.
      Inside Russell Martin’s amazing journey from living at bookies with an abusive dad to Premier League manager
      That is Martin’s way. In March 2021, his MK Dons team set a British record 56 passes for a move leading to a goal — scored by Will Grigg.
      He stubbornly demands improvement on his gameplans, rather than resorting to any Plan B, and says: “If it doesn’t work and I get sacked, at least I get sacked doing something I believe in.”
      The second youngest of four brothers, Martin grew up in the Hollingbury area of Brighton.
      Late father Dean was violent towards mum Kerry and had stints in prison.
      The family home was lost to his gambling debts — and he moved them next door to a bookies.
      Little wonder that Martin dislikes gambling sponsorship in football.
      Through his dad, Martin qualified to play for Scotland and he won 29 caps.
      But one of his nans was Italian and cooked pasta for the boys when food ran out at their dysfunctional home.
      Martin won 29 caps for ScotlandCredit: Kenny Ramsay – The Sun Glasgow
      Martin is proud of that heritage — his children have Napoli shirts and regularly go on holiday to southern Italy.
      He excelled at school where he was head boy and took A-levels in history, PE and drama.
      The Brighton fan, with a soft spot for Spurs, was turned down by a string of professional clubs.
      Starting at non-league Lewes, he cleaned windows and pub toilets in the mornings with his uncle and did shifts at a Spar supermarket across the road in the evenings.
      He got his break under Tony Adams at Wycombe before moving on to Peterborough and Norwich — whose manager at the time, Paul Lambert, has been a huge influence on his career.
      He was a Canaries stalwart, captaining them to a play-off final victory over Middlesbrough in 2015.
      But Farke brought about a bitter end to an eight-year spell in Norfolk. He was loaned to Rangers before being shown the door.
      After a brief spell coaching at Walsall, he managed MK Dons and Swansea — where he overcame a rocky spell that left him one game from the sack — before landing the job at Southampton.
      Martin captained Norwich to play off promotionCredit: Getty
      He got his breakthrough under Tony Adams at WycombeCredit: Getty
      He also became Peterborough’s youngest ever captainCredit: Getty
      Martin has remained very much his own man throughout.
      Now vegan as he suffers from ulcerative colitis — an inflamed bowel — Martin also meditates, has read up on Buddhism and was a member of the Green Party before becoming disillusioned with politics.
      Every day at Southampton he has an ice bath, uses a cryotherapy chamber near his home and swims in the sea at Hove — all year round.
      At the age of 30, he set up the Russell Martin Foundation to help youngsters in Sussex.
      What started out as a football academy now also helps kids struggling in mainstream school.
      Martin told SunSport: “Two of my brothers did not finish school and something like this would have made a huge difference.”
      Here is a man making a huge impact on and off the pitch.
      At his post-match Wembley press conference, a shattered-looking Martin said: “For them to give me the job in the first place, I felt like I had to do this to validate it.
      “I am so pleased for them because it wasn’t an exciting appointment for them.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      “It’s up to us to prove ourselves in the Premier League next season.
      “The style is something myself and my players believe in. I won’t change and I love what I do.” More

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      Chelsea chiefs left stunned at Enzo Maresca’s inside knowledge of club with Leicester boss poised to succeed Pochettino

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      CHELSEA are on the verge of making Enzo Maresca their new boss.Todd Boehly and the Chelsea ownership group identified the 44-year-old Leicester City head coach as the man they want to replace Mauricio Pochettino.Chelsea are set to appoint Enzo Maresca as Mauricio Pochettino’s replacementCredit: GettyAnd they have been granted permission by Leicester City to speak to the Italian who led the Foxes to Championship glory and promotion back to the Prem in his debut season at the King Power.Chelsea’s co-Sporting Directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart will jet into Marbella for face-to-face talks with Maresca in the next 24 hours.That suggests Chelsea have triggered the £9million release clause in Maresca’s three-year-contract with the Foxes.Chelsea are confident a three-year-deal will be agreed swiftly with Maresca understandably keen to move to Stamford Bridge.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSMaresca’s appointment will complete a meteoric rise for the 44-year-old Italian who has emerged ahead of Roberto De Zerbi, Kieran McKenna, Thomas Frank and Thomas Tuchel to become Chelsea’s top target.Maresca’s first managerial role was a short-lived one as he only lasted 14 games at fallen Italian giants Parma in the summer of 2021 before he was dismissed by the Serie B club.However he returned to City, where he had enjoyed success as manager of their elite development squad, to become Pep Guardiola’s first team assistant coach in the summer of 2022.A year later, after celebrating a historic treble, including Champions League success with City, Maresca was on the move again to newly-relegated Leicester City.Most read in FootballPochettino was given the boot after differences with the Chelsea boardCredit: AFPCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSThere he lived up to his reputation as one of Pep Guardiola’s disciples – in common with Mikel Arteta and Vincent Kompany – by playing a patient, possession-based style of football similar to City’s blueprint.That made him unpopular at times with fickle Foxes fans, who preferred a much more direct approach.Mauricio Pochettino LEAVES Chelsea despite promising end to season as Blues line up four potential new bossesHowever, despite a few bumps along the road, Maresca led Leicester back to the Premier League at the first attempt and lifted the Championship trophy too.It is Marseca’s sometimes stubborn, painstaking attention to detail and his tactical nous which has attracted him to Blues chiefs.Leicester City’s former Spurs midfielder Harry Winks described Maresca as the best head coach he’d ever worked with – even though he had previously played for Pochettino, Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho in his Spurs days.Meet Pep Guardiola disciple Enzo MarescaEnzo Maresca is considered among the most exciting young coaches on the planet.
      Born in Italy in 1980, he managed to guide Leicester to the Championship title in his first season as Foxes boss.
      His management career started at Italian minnows Ascoli before he was snapped up by Man City in 2020 to manage their Elite Development Squad.
      He guided the youth team to the Premier League 2 title in his one season working for the Citizens – with Cole Palmer in the side.
      His first senior job was with Parma but he was sacked after just a few months after failing to impress.
      Despite the team playing in Serie B and Maresca having an impressive squad he was unable to get them on course for promotion.
      He returned to Man City and worked as one of Pep Guardiola’s assistants for the 2022/23 season as they won the Treble.
      He took over relegated Leicester last summer and made an immediate impact, with the Foxes winning the Championship title.
      Maresca showed his dedication to the job by living at the training ground for the first two months after his appointment.
      He’s considered something of a Pep disciple and has said: “For a coach, it’s important to have the mentality of a chess player.”
      During his playing career he played under Carlo Ancelotti and Marcello Lippi – and alongside ex-Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi.

      And Chelsea were staggered by Maresca’s knowledge of their own youthful squad as well as his single-minded determination over the brand of football he intends to bring to Stamford Bridge.While many managers may see the Chelsea job as something of a poisoned chalice, Maresca can’t wait to work with their vast squad of expensive, quality kids and convince them of his methods.SunSport understands the Italian would have faced financial hardship and an expected points deduction at Leicester City and feels the Foxes didn’t reveal the true extent of their financial situation to him.However, with no practical experience of managing in the Premier League, Maresca may have to win Chelsea fans over quickly – as he clearly has already done with their Board. More