“World-class” Rosenior rival has offered himself to Chelsea

There were no goodbyes, no fond farewells, Enzo Maresca merely upped and left to bring a turbulent Chelsea tenure to an end on New Year’s Day.

For those in the Italian’s corner, he was seemingly perturbed by the interference from those above him, particularly with regard to fitness-related selection decisions.

For those more in line with the club, there was a feeling that the Club World Cup winner had left the Stamford Bridge hierarchy with little choice but to wield the axe, not least considering his public flirtation with Premier League rivals Manchester City.

Either way, a team that romped past Paris Saint-Germain just six months ago have now been left in a state of chaos, with a managerial solution needing to be found sooner rather than later.

Serial-winning manager offers himself as Rosenior alternative

If reports are to be believed, Chelsea’s BlueCo owners are likely to take the easy route with regard to naming a Maresca successor, with Strasbourg boss Liam Rosenior emerging as the leading candidate.

The highly-rated Englishman has done a fine job at the Blues’ sister club, leading the Ligue 1 side into the Conference League, although it would be a significant step-up for a man whose prior managerial experience came in the EFL with Derby County and Hull City.

If that is a gamble that BlueCo realise they are not willing to take, then more high-profile options are potentially available, with the west Londoners believed to have sounded out Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe this week.

Equally, reports in Spain suggest that former Blues boss Jose Mourinho could be interested in a third spell at the Bridge, with the Benfica coach said to have offered himself to his previous employers.

The Portuguese serial-winner only took charge of the Lisbon side earlier this season, following his dismissal from Fenerbahce, although he is keen on a return to England, with Chelsea in need of an immediate solution.

As per the report, the 62-year-old is viewed as a ‘strong contender’, with the Blues ‘not ruling out any scenario’.

Why Mourinho could be another Maresca for Chelsea

The problem, as was seen in the case of Maresca, facing Chelsea right now is their ability to entice an elite manager who would be willing to assume a ‘head coach’ role in west London.

With the club’s string of sporting directors pulling the strings, notably in the transfer market, there is a sense that BlueCo merely want a ‘yes man’, someone to solely focus on coaching the team rather than concerning themselves with external matters.

A ‘yes man’, of course, is certainly not something which can be said of Mourinho, with the combustible Portuguese far more in the traditional mould of a Sir Alex Ferguson-style, all-knowing manager.

Like Thomas Tuchel and Mauricio Pochettino in recent years, the “world-class” coach – as hailed by Brendan Rodgers – could well be another top-level tactician to butt heads with the Todd Boehly regime, with Mourinho having not been afraid to voice his opinions across his lengthy and fruitful managerial career.

Only recently, during his latter days at Turkey, the veteran boss hit out at the Fenerbahce board, criticising the transfer policy and the quality of his own squad, as relayed by Transfermarkt.

At a club like Chelsea, where transfer business is taken out of the manager’s purview, that would surely not sit well with the two-time Champions League winner, nor would any meddling from the club’s treatment room.

Of course, like Maresca of late, Mourinho had his own run-in with the Chelsea backroom staff during his second spell at the Bridge, launching a foul-mouthed tirade against Dr Eva Carneiro after she intervened to treat Eden Hazard during the 2-2 draw with Swansea City in August 2015.

Again, the idea of the legendary Blues boss being dictated to on that front appears improbable, with the enigmatic genius having the potential to plunge the club into even further chaos, rather than steady the ship in this time of need.

Indeed, for all Mourinho’s glittering success and fond Stamford Bridge memories, he could well be just another Maresca-style figure for BlueCo to have to tussle against.

In that sense, while it remains to be seen if Rosenior is the right man, Mourinho’s third Chelsea act should well be avoided.

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