In Enzo we trust: Maresca has changed the feeling around Leicester City already
Can Enzo Maresca be the next great Italian hero in the East Midlands? Mark Manderfield is feeling electricity in the air.
They say 24 hours can be a long time in football. For Leicester City fans, Friday’s announcement has finally injected some much-needed optimism back into the club. It’s energised a fan base that was desperate for something to cling on to.
As our players slowly come out one by one to reflect on how last season went, or talk about other clubs and the future, it feels like a lifetime ago that there was genuine optimism, dare I even say electricity at the club.
Enter Enzo.
Pep’s assistant, who’s just come off winning the treble, wouldn’t have been the first name anyone would have thought of when looking to replace Dean Smith, but that’s kind of the point. Many of us assumed that the board would seek out a safe option. Smith could have been trusted with the job on a full time basis, which wouldn’t have excited the fans. Scott Parker was another name in that category. We saw a list of safe bets, cheaper options, less risk.
With greater risk can come greater reward. Enzo is no sure thing, but he’s the right man to excite the terraces once more. I haven’t seen a single iota of negativity about his appointment so far. That in itself feels lovely.
A new broom
It hasn’t been plain sailing into leadership for the former West Brom man. His only permanent role so far was a tricky spell in charge of Parma in 2021, but from there he came back to England to work as the right hand man of arguably one of the best managers ever: Pep Guardiola. Surely you can’t work that closely with a born winner and not pick up some excellent leadership skills. Just look at Mikel Arteta and Vincent Kompany.
It’s hard to ignore the physical similarities to Pep himself, as the two even look uncannily alike. It’s even harder to ignore the potential for a new style of football. We expect Enzo to stamp his own brand on the team, and this is timely.
Leicester City are a side that have lost their identity over the last two years. We have become a shadow of our former selves, and now here we are in our mould in the Championship, ready to be put shaped into something new, Italian style.
A fresh start, a clean sweep, a new hand, whichever way you’d like to look at it, we now have it. We can start to look forward, anticipate the new signings that will undoubtedly be made in bulk and maybe even look forward to the fixtures coming out next week.
The uniting force
What can we expect from the former Juventus, Sevilla and Fiorentina man? Firstly, perhaps we can take advantage of the loan system. It would be great to go back to the Etihad and raid Manchester City for some of their young prodigies. Cole Palmer, James McAtee and Taylor Harwood-Belis are just three of the names that spring to mind. All of them would improve our first XI.
He must be supported in the transfer window by Martyn Glover and the team, who are taking on a monumental rebuild job themselves. A little fiery Italian spirit will not go amiss while dealing with wantaway stars, and setting the tone with those that are staying. Because the second thing we’re looking to change is the mentality.
As a two-time UEFA Cup winner, with Serie A and Copa Del Rey in the bag as well, Enzo knows what it takes to win. We don’t expect to be playing sexy football from day one, but we do expect his team to show that they care for the shirt and will leave everything on the pitch from the get-go. I trust he will instil that quickly.
I’m not a fan of us being talked about as a project. But for once, that’s exactly what we are. One thing is for sure, we all need to come together to sing from the same hymn sheet now. For too long the club has been moving in opposite directions, whether this be the discontent of fans for perceived poor decisions by the board, heavy-handed tactics from the club with their ID scheme for away games, players being booed off or players taking on fans or journalists on social media.
That stops today. Enzo Maresca deserves full support from the terraces and the boardroom alike. The freshness of a new backroom team, new players and even new season ticket holders should mean that the first game of the season at home whoever that may be against (my bet is on Sheffield Wednesday for some reason) will be a hotbed of passion and emotion from the Blue Army.
The reception will reflect the hope and expectation that he can be our next Italian hero. Leicester has always been a welcoming place to people who show they want to be here, and memories of our last Italian manager still loom large in our minds. That one didn’t work out too badly, did it?
It’s nice to be able to sign off with excitement rather than fear, something that hasn’t come easy for many of us in the last few weeks.
In Enzo we trust.
NOW READ:
“A demanding club”: Why Leicester City fans are queuing to board the Enzo Maresca express
The Leicester Way: Why Enzo Maresca is the perfect pick to lead City back to the promised land
