Champions League winning manager admits Chelsea would never re-hire him despite wanting Premier League return

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Chelsea have gone through their fair share of managers in recent years, with this trend continuing since Todd Boehly took over as owner.

The latest to enter the hotseat is Enzo Maresca, with him being brought in from Leicester to replace Mauricio Pochettino.

The Italian is looking to get his methods of play across quickly, with supporters not quickly taking to his philosophies.

Maresca was seen frustrated with Chelsea fans at Stamford Bridge during their first game of the season against Manchester City, with supporters making their feelings clear on the slower build-up play from the back.

Pressure will no doubt already be on the boss to succeed, however the club will be desperate to buck the trend of manager’s coming in and out the door.

Rafa Benitez doesn’t think Chelsea would hire him

One of those who was a victim of that was Rafa Benitez, who was manager of the Blues for a brief period over 10 years.

Despite saying he is keen on a return to management in the Premier League, he admitted he doesn’t think a club like Chelsea would look to bring him in,

He said: “I am thinking about Premier League, that is not easy. Trust me I have offers. I have had five or six offers from teams at the bottom of the table.

“I am realistic. I have the passion, the knowledge and experience. I can make the difference. I like to be on the pitch coaching players and improving players. Little things. Anthony Gordon is one of the players, so we can improve players and we can make these things happen.

“There are not too many though. Man United will not come for me, Chelsea will not come for me. There are teams that I will not coach because they will not come for me now.”

Chelsea hoping Enzo Maresca is the man

Benitez has plenty of honours under his belt as a manager, however the most notable is winning the Champions League with Liverpool in 2005.

The Blues will be hopeful that Maresca shows enough in his first season as a Premier League manager that he can be the man who takes the project at Stamford Bridge into the future.

He will have the chance to add a European trophy to his own cabinet in the form of the Conference League, with the first match of that long campaign taking place tomorrow against Servette.