Carragher warns Maresca’s job at Chelsea at risk after criticising club backing

December 16, 2025 Oliver Obel

Tension around Chelsea has been building quietly for weeks, but it burst into the open after Enzo Maresca suggested the club had offered little backing during what he called the “worst” two days of his spell in charge.

The remark, made after a win over Everton, has become the focal point of debate over his relationship with the hierarchy and whether the head coach has already crossed a line that others at Stamford Bridge have struggled to navigate.

A fragile working relationship exposed

Coverage from Sky Sports highlighted that Maresca stopped short of naming anyone, yet he made clear that he and his players “did not feel supported” in the 48 hours before the match. Reporters pressed him to explain who he meant; he declined, saying he had nothing further to add.

That ambiguity didn’t last long. On Monday Night Football, Jamie Carragher argued the meaning was unmistakable. “I don't think Maresca is manager of Chelsea next season,” he said, adding that going public with criticism of club leadership “is a big problem.” According to Carragher, the remarks were aimed squarely at the ownership group and the sporting directors who shape Chelsea’s recruitment model.

A deeper issue with Chelsea’s structure

Carragher’s comments tap into a wider tension common in modern Premier League setups: coaches are expected to work within a rigid, data-driven framework overseen by technical staff, while still producing immediate results. As he noted, managers often agree to these structures, only to seek more influence when expectations rise.

Sky Sports’ analysis pointed to one particular flashpoint Chelsea’s failure to bring in a centre-back after Levi Colwill’s injury. The decision reportedly frustrated Maresca, who arrived from Leicester with a reputation for tactical clarity and had overseen significant spending on other positions.

But voicing that dissatisfaction publicly, Carragher insisted, rarely leads anywhere constructive. “When you go public like this, there’s usually only one outcome,” he warned.

Maresca stays tight-lipped ahead of cup tie

Facing the media again before Chelsea’s Carabao Cup quarter-final at Cardiff, Maresca refused repeated invitations to revisit his earlier comments.

“I already spoke about that and I don’t have anything to add,” he told journalists. Asked directly whether he remained committed to the role, he replied: “Absolutely, yes,” though he shut down any further discussion.

A coach searching for stability in a turbulent project

Maresca arrived in West London after guiding Leicester back to the Premier League, and his first months at Chelsea have continued the club’s pattern of inconsistency: flashes of promise, followed by familiar dips shaped by injuries and expectation.

The club’s recruitment overhaul under Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital was intended to modernise operations, but the model has also led to a fast turnover of managers a context that makes Carragher’s warning feel particularly pointed.

Chelsea remain capable of a deep cup run, and progress in the Carabao Cup could ease some internal pressure. But the dispute, even unspoken, has revealed the fragility of Maresca’s position and highlighted how quickly the ground can shift under any coach trying to define authority inside the club’s evolving hierarchy.

Sources: Sky Sports, GOAL