November 1st 2024.
In a recent interview, former Manchester United and England midfielder Paul Scholes shared his thoughts on Chelsea's current captain, Reece James. Scholes stated that James "doesn't look like a captain" and questioned his leadership qualities, echoing similar sentiments expressed by Enzo Maresca, who recently admitted that he expected more from James in terms of his leadership since taking over as captain in July.
James, who has been a part of Chelsea since the age of six, was appointed as captain for the 2023-24 season after Cesar Azpilicueta's departure. However, Maresca, who left his position as manager of Championship winners Leicester to take charge of Chelsea, criticized James for not doing enough to lead the team and urged him to step up his game.
"I spoke with him and I expect more from him in terms of leadership inside the changing room," Maresca said. "He's on the way, he's doing well, he's progressing, but I expect more. Most of the time, a player thinks that because they are captain, the manager should give them more. But for me, as captain, you have to give more than the rest."
Scholes was asked for his opinion on the situation during an episode of The Overlap with Sky Bet and admitted that he never saw James as captain material. The former midfielder believes that the role of captain is a big and important one, and he also doubts that Chelsea superstar Cole Palmer would make a good skipper.
"The captain's role is quite important," Scholes said. "We had some unbelievable captains at Manchester United, like Bryan Robson with his stature and presence, looking after his players, and Roy Keane. I think it's important for these young players to look up to the big characters in the team."
He went on to mention other great captains in the Premier League, such as Tony Adams at Arsenal, John Terry at Chelsea, and Steven Gerrard at Liverpool. Scholes believes that it's crucial for young players to have role models to look up to, and he doesn't see James or Palmer as fitting that role.
Despite Maresca's criticisms of the leadership within his squad, Chelsea has had a strong start to the season, currently sitting at fifth place in the Premier League with 17 points from nine games and topping their group in the Europa Conference League with two wins from two.
Scholes admitted that he expected Chelsea to struggle this season and even thought Maresca could be the first manager to be sacked in the Premier League. However, he praised Maresca for his work so far, stating that he has been quite ruthless in his decisions and has built a strong team.
"We've seen managers like Graham Potter struggle with too many players and behind-the-scenes issues," Scholes said. "And even Mauricio Pochettino, who had a great end to last season, couldn't seem to get control of the team. But Maresca has taken control, gotten rid of players, and built a strong squad of well-coached players."
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