While Manchester City’s biggest star Erling Haaland calls for unity, manager Enzo Maresca clearly doesn’t think it’s a problem and manages to give waiting photographers a thumbs up as he arrives at City Football Academy.
Enzo Maresca replaced Pep Guardiola as Manchester City manager, after the cheating conviction, many asked the question of how he would react to just starting at a club in crisis. – Quite ok, if we are to believe both his new hippie style and comments.
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Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca says that “the feeling is fantastic” among his players and that they “don’t care too much about the noise” around the club after it was found guilty of the majority of the 115 charges the Premier League has brought against it.
The club’s international players were back in training on Thursday, nine days after the Premier League published a devastating report claiming that the club had used “skin” contracts to hide secret funding of over £830 million.
BBC Sport reported this week that Maresca would address the players when they returned to the training facility after news of the verdict broke – while the majority of the squad was away in their respective national teams.
It is understood that City’s head coach told his players not to let the crisis that has hit the club affect their attitude and focus when the Premier League campaign resumes this weekend.
“The feeling is fantastic, to be honest,” Maresca said when asked about the mood in the squad ahead of the trip to Liverpool on Sunday (16:30 BST).
“The players are looking forward to the next two games. But especially they are excited because at this moment we are at the top of the league. The players are just focusing on that.
“They know that what we can control is the football side – they are not worried about other things.
“They know their profession and know that the noise is there, but they don’t care too much about the noise. They are just focusing at this moment on how we can beat Liverpool and how we can try to win at Anfield together with the fans.
Maresca added that he felt “calm” and that his team trusts the club “completely”.
City have launched an appeal and have publicly maintained their innocence.
The private communication to those connected to the players at City has been just as clear, it is understood.
In an interview with Sky Sports, striker Erling Haaland echoed the manager’s views, saying:
“I care a lot about this place. I spent my first four years here, it’s a special place for us. I care a lot about City and the fans. I’m a fan myself. I feel for them.
“The supporters are going to have fun on Sunday – we have to stick together. We have to stay together and be positive. No matter what happens in life, we always have to smile. Stay positive, look ahead, try to win football matches and enjoy the situation.
“We have to stick together and spread the love to each other. Enjoy the trip and smile.
Erling Haaland gives a thumbs up to the photographers when he arrives at training.
Image: PA Media. Erling Haaland is the top scorer in the new Premier League season with five goals.
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What have other Premier League managers said?
After Premier League football returns after a three-week break, rival clubs are proving reluctant to allow their managers to speak publicly about the City ruling.
Managers and head coaches – including Maresca on Friday – will be asked to comment on the matter during mandatory pre-match press conferences.
But it is understood that several clubs have already taken a clear stance on their coaches not to comment.
Some Premier League press conferences were held on Thursday, but Coventry boss Frank Lampard, Leeds head coach Daniel Farke and Newcastle coach Matthias Jaissle all avoided commenting on the matter thoroughly.
Jaissle said: “I think that as a manager of another club, I am not capable of refereeing and that is not my job. In particular, it is not part of my job description.
“The authorities are taking care of it, a process will be followed and on behalf of the whole club, it is our job to focus on the job and the preparation for [the game against Coventry on] Monday.
“On behalf of the club, we should focus on what we can influence. Just focus on what we can do better and what we can influence on the pitch.”
Lampard, who played for Manchester City in the 2014/15 season, said: “What can you say when an appeal is ongoing? I’m not inside the story, I’m completely outside it.
“I played for Man City a long time ago for a year now, but we’ll have to wait and see what the outcome of the appeal will be and beyond. I don’t know the timelines at all.
“I’m out of the loop. I don’t avoid the question, I just don’t feel like there’s an answer I can give.”
When asked what the punishment should be, Lampard replied: “It’s not my role to talk about a penalty or how much. I just can’t answer that.”
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