“Wouldn’t be acceptable” – Joe Cole very clear on Enzo Maresca’s future | OneFootball

Joe Cole is on punditry duty for Chelsea’s game against Legia Warsaw in the Conference League tonight, and before kick off he was asked by TNT Sport for his thoughts on what constitutes a success or failure for the Blues this season:

“When you’re a modern football manager, you’re managing, you’re coaching your team. You’ve got to manage the expectations from above, you’ve also got to manage the fans’ expectations, and manage the media. And then he’s trying to juggle all of those things, and it’s a very difficult job that’s why these managers get very, very well paid to do it,” Cole mused.

“I think between now and the end of the season, I still think getting into the Champions League takes precedence over this competition [the Conference League] and I think you’ll see that in the semi final. Because Chelsea have got a hell of a run in. They’ve got to play Liverpool, Nottingham Forest, Newcastle, all teams in and around them [in the table]. They’ve got a tough as run in as anyone,” Cole continued.

“But it’s more important their efforts in the Premier League: that Chelsea get into the Champions League. You can’t spend £1.5bn over 3 years and finish outside the top five. Finish sixth, that wouldn’t be acceptable.”

You can see the former winger speaking in the clip embedded here:

Cole finally lays down the law with Maresca

Enzo Maresca on the touchline. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)

Cole has been very fair to Maresca this season, and at times more positive than most Bules fans. But he’s coming down a little more strongly here, and quite right too. If you can’t finish in the top FIVE (not four) with this squad, you’ve failed. And it wouldn’t just be his failure – those who assembled this vastly expensive squad should be booted with him.