Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca publicly criticized winger Noni Madueke earlier this week, and the England international has now responded.
Maresca made his comments after Chelsea’s 5-1 victory over Southampton, expressing his frustration with Madueke’s recent form and explaining why he had been dropped from the lineup.
Maresca said:
“With Noni, I have a personal relationship in terms of… he can do much more. He can achieve more. When he scores or assists and feels happy, he tends to drop off.
The reason he wasn’t playing is because I didn’t like his training. He needs to understand that he has to train well every day. He has to be more ambitious: if he scores one, he should aim for a second, a third, and more assists. Overall, he’s doing well.”
Madueke has now responded to the criticism in a mature and thoughtful manner.
The Chelsea forward expressed appreciation for the manager’s direct approach.
“He is honest and truthful,” Madueke said, as reported by The Evening Standard. “He tells the truth, and he’s a man you can trust.
That’s all you want from a coach. He’s not trying to be best friends with everyone, but he’s straightforward and fair to all. That’s exactly what you need at a top club like Chelsea.”
Madueke added that he believes Mauricio Pochettino’s approach, where he tried to be friendly with everyone, was a mistake. He feels that some players benefit from Maresca’s tougher, more direct style of management.
