Spanish football expert explains how Maresca will revolutionise Leicester

It is a new era for Leicester City as they spend their first season in the Championship after ten years of dining at England’s top table. Thus the inevitable rebuild has begun, and what better way to start than appointing a new manager who most recently had spent time working under Pep Guardiola?

Leicester City boss Enzo Maresca comes with a glowing endorsement

On the face of it, this move seems rather risky as opposed to going to a ‘tried-and-tested’ option such as Scott Parker. Maresca’s only spell as a manager came at Parma, where he only lasted for 14 games before receiving the sack. However, Guardiola’s protégées have generally gone on to forge successful managerial careers, namely Mikel Arteta and Vincent Kompany.

Nevertheless, Spanish football expert Guillem Balague allayed these fears by giving LCFC fans an indication of what to expect. In a tweet, the analyst began by saying “Let me tell you why I rate Enzo Maresca so much”.

According to Balague, Leicester City fans can look forward to a manager who likes his teams to ‘dominate… be energetic… to recover early’. Maresca also wants his teams to play well in addition to winning. This is something Maresca highlighted in his first interview, stating that “the target is to play in the best way we can”.

Maresca has also had several endorsements from Manchester City youngsters, who highlight his winning mentality in addition to playing well. This is evidenced by how his development squad won the Premier League 2 in 2021. Of course, this must come with a caveat as Man City possess one of the most talented youth set-ups in the country.

Balague also emphasised that whilst the Italian has spent time under Guardiola, he is not “a pupil” of the Spaniard. Nevertheless, working under the world’s best manager will undoubtedly have improved Maresca’s managerial prowess.

Despite the optimistic outlook, LCFC fans have been warned that they will need to be patient with Maresca since his clear style of play will take time to be implemented. This may go at odds with Leicester City’s desire to gain immediate promotion. However, if Balague is right, the Foxes would do well to get behind the manager even if they might have to wait for results. For a club that has lost its identity and vision, someone like Maresca seems like the perfect person to turn the ship around.

Some fans will also remember Martin O’Neill, who only won three out of his first 16 games and was under severe pressure. Yet, in the end, he turned out to be one of LCFC’s greatest-ever managers.

Hopefully, Maresca’s appointment signals a new era for the Leicester, though the success of his appointment will be much dictated by the quality of the rebuild. Fans will hope that Maresca’s contact book can bear some fruit ahead of a gruelling Championship season.