Latest news with #YouthTeam
New York Times
25-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Enzo Maresca on Chelsea critics after securing Champions League spot: ‘F off to all of them'
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has told those who criticised the youthfulness of his team to 'F off' after they sealed a return to the Champions League. Maresca, in his debut season in charge at Stamford Bridge, secured a fourth-placed finish with Levi Colwill's goal the difference in his side's 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest on the final day of the Premier League season on Sunday. Advertisement Chelsea have the youngest age profile of any team in the English top-flight, and Maresca said he 'didn't have any doubt' that his squad could succeed this season. 'The doubt was from outside,' Maresca said in a post-match news conference. 'All the ones that have the answers or the ones that have the truth, they were saying that we are too young, we are not good enough, they were waiting for Aston Villa to drop points for us to achieve the Champions League. 'They were saying that we were not able to win on this pitch because we are too young, because we are not experienced. Unfortunately for them, they have all been wrong. All the ones that have the truth and have the answer to everything. 'So in English, how you say? F off to all of them, because the players deserve that. The effort they have been doing is fantastic.' Chelsea, Champions League winners in 2020-21, return to the competition for the first time in three years. They could still finish the season with silverware as they face Real Betis in the Conference League final on Wednesday. The fourth-placed finish is Chelsea's highest placing since the takeover by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital in 2022, despite heavy investment in the transfer market since. Maresca said that since he joined the club, 'we haven't spent more than the rest,' adding Chelsea 'now have players who deserve to be in the Champions League'. After the Conference League final, Maresca's side return to action in June with their FIFA Club World Cup opener against the victor of a one-off play-off between Los Angeles FC and Club America, following Club Leon's removal from the summer tournament. ()
BBC News
15-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Burke on McInnes' success, his role going forward & helping the club against Hearts
Kilmarnock caretaker manager Chris Burke has been speaking with the media after it was revealed that Derek McInnes would not be in charge for their final Premiership match at home to are the key points from his news conference:Burke insists the club should be thankful for what departing boss Derek McInnes achieved at the club and once emotion is taken out of it, everyone can reflect on the success over that pointed to McInnes' first game being against Queen of the South through to taking on FC Copenhagen in Europe, saying it highlights "the achievements that he's done at the football club".The former Killie and Rangers midfielder insists he is simply there to "help the players" before a match against a good team in the Tynecastle enjoyed success leading the youth team, Burke said he couldn't answer whether he saw himself as part of the first-team coaching set-up going forward. "I'm new in my journey, I know things happen and things change really quickly and opportunity comes," he expects to "know a lot" about himself by the end of the week."Whether that's at the club where you are part of the first team staff, whether I go back to my own role, whatever it is, I'm just here to help the football club," Burke said, when asked about his also revealed his pride at seeing his son Cole make his debut for the club as a late substitute in the defeat to Motherwell, adding that "puts me under a wee bit more under pressure now to maybe include him in the squad".
