How Enzo Maresca is making his mark on European soccer's coaching circuit

Enzo Maresca's impressive company and long-standing friendship with Roberto De Zerbi have made him a desirable figure in the football world. However, his extensive knowledge of the game is not solely attributed to his connections, but rather his illustrious career as a midfielder for top clubs like Juventus and Sevilla. Maresca has since dedicated himself to coaching, gaining experience in multiple countries and establishing himself as a respected figure in the coaching community.

According to De Zerbi, he and Guardiola have a shared vision for the game's style of play. Guardiola was impressed by Maresca's work with Manchester City's development team and brought him back as his assistant after Juanma Lillo left. Maresca's success in winning the title with the U23 team was notable, as observed by Ceri Bowley, City's former head of coaching support. Bowley notes that Maresca had a positive impact on the team's playing style and helped them improve.

I've always been impressed by him - he's a truly humble guy. It's no surprise that Pep chose him to be part of his team. He's got a clear vision for how his team should play and he's great at communicating that to his players. His approach is straightforward and easy to understand.

Maresca's contribution as a support player during City's triumphant treble victory proves the faith invested in him as a coach. As a teenager at West Brom, he used to receive lifts to training from his teammate Graham Potter. Following in the footsteps of other apprentices of Guardiola, Maresca may soon move on to carve out his own successful coaching career. This includes the likes of Mikel Arteta, who has already demonstrated his value as a coach at Arsenal, and former Guardiola captains Xavi Hernandez and Vincent Kompany, who both led their respective teams to victory this season. As Bowley aptly puts it, "When you work with Pep, you are going to get opportunities."

However, Marwood saw an opportunity for City to establish their own identity and style of play. The focus was on creating a holistic approach to player development, with an emphasis on technical proficiency, tactical awareness and physical fitness. This philosophy was to be ingrained throughout the club, from the first team down to the youth academy. As a result, the Guardiola coaching school is just one aspect of the wider City Football Group vision."

The resurgence of the Red Bull model can be seen through the likes of Marco Rose and Jesse Marsch. Established by Ralf Rangnick, this model had a significant impact on the game around the time Liverpool won the Premier League. However, some view this disruption of the game as disrespectful. Nonetheless, Jurgen Klopp's successful disruption of City's tactics forced Pep to reevaluate his approach.

Teams in the Premier League have come to understand the importance of control in the game. Many mistakenly believed that Manchester City's approach was solely focused on possession. However, their methodology was centered on control - not just holding onto the ball. This shift in approach has led to a realization that relying solely on counterattacks is not a sustainable model for success. Instead, teams must be able to control the ball in order to control the game. As a result, coaches from the City Football Group are in high demand across the league.

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Enzo Maresca made his return to Manchester City last summer, drawn in by the allure of success. However, what sets this opportunity apart is the unique access provided to young coaches through the multi-club structure. Maresca isn't just serving as Guardiola's assistant, but is also a valued member of a collaborative coaching cohort.

"There is a wealth of knowledge transfer happening within the organization. The challenges faced by our colleagues in New York may be encountered by those in Melbourne after six months. At Girona, we drew heavily from the experiences of both New York and Melbourne, and fostered a culture of idea-sharing among our coaches." According to Des Buckingham, who previously worked at Melbourne City within CFG and is now leading Mumbai City to the top of the table, "We don't follow a strict set of guidelines, but we receive constant support to help us succeed."

Suggestions are given based on the analysis of your matches and training sessions, rather than people dictating what must be done. This feedback is crucial in maintaining consistency in the principles of play. Additionally, the platform allows for easy communication with other coaches, such as Mumbai's regular dialogue with Lommel in Belgium. This relationship allows for the exchange of ideas and access to valuable resources that may not be available outside of the group.

Poaching coaches from CFG is not a simple task, despite clubs believing that replicating their success is easy. This was demonstrated when Maresca, who previously served as City's U23 coach and first-team assistant, was quickly hired and fired by Serie B club Parma.

According to Marco DeMicheli, Sky's reporter in Italy, the issue at Parma was not solely due to Maresca. With the team's relegation and a change of ownership by an American businessman, there were numerous challenges, including a high turnover of players from overseas, resulting in a chaotic situation. As a consequence, Maresca's tenure was cut short after just 14 games.

He attempted to approach the City game with an aggressive formation, opting for either a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 setup, but found himself facing a challenging situation at Parma. Even after Maresca's departure, the issues persisted and ultimately resulted in their loss in the playoffs this season. However, despite these setbacks, he had managed to make a positive impression behind the scenes.

Maresca's reputation as a skilled and innovative manager precedes him, even during his time at Parma where he faced challenges. His ability to inspire loyalty and admiration from those who worked with him is a testament to his character and leadership. Maresca's unique approach to attacking football also set him apart. In addition to his tactical prowess, his linguistic abilities were also impressive. It was not uncommon for him to seamlessly switch between English, Italian, and Spanish during training sessions, and even communicate with Greek players in their native language.

Without a support network in place, problems can arise for coaches who lack the patience to navigate the challenges of managing a team. However, Bowley was known to be a kind and helpful mentor to young players, even seeking guidance from former teammate Gianluigi Buffon during his own transition into management. This willingness to seek and provide support was a key element of Bowley's success within CFG.

The desire for a clear methodology and style of play is often expressed by those seeking success in football, however, according to Bowley, many fail to understand the level of commitment required to achieve this goal. As evidenced by Mikel Arteta, successful implementation of a methodology takes time and cannot be achieved overnight. Simply adopting the methodology of a successful team like City from day one is not a viable option. It requires a deep understanding of what is necessary and a strong alignment between sporting directors and coaches. Signing players on a whim is not a viable option.

Enzo Maresca has a clear understanding of the game and his potential as a talented coach is evident. However, finding a club that is willing to provide him with the necessary time and support to replicate his success is a challenge.