Joe Cole has declared that Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca is the ‘Manager of the Season’ so far in the Premier League, with the Blues currently second in the table and just two points behind Liverpool.
A number of top-flight bosses have impressed this term, with Arne Slot leading Liverpool to the top of the table in his debut season at the helm.
Nuno Espirito Santo and Andoni Iraola have produced fine work at Nottingham Forest and AFC Bournemouth respectively, with both sides looking to have a shot of qualifying for Europe this term.
But Cole feels Maresca, who replaced Mauricio Pochettino in June, is ahead in the race for the Manager of the Season award after transforming Chelsea into genuine Premier League title challengers.
‘It’s looking great!’ Cole said on TNT Sports after Chelsea’s 2-1 victory over fellow west London side Brentford on Sunday.
‘I think Enzo Maresca so far [is] Manager of the Season. What he had to contend with at the start.
‘We were talking to him, remember at West Ham, and he was like talking about the 30-odd players he’s got and trying to manage the squad.
‘A lot of question marks on the recruitment and since maybe sort of late September, it’s just been an upward curve.’
Despite a remarkable run of form, Chelsea head coach Maresca has continued to play down his team’s chances of winning the Premier League title this season.
‘No matter how many games we are going to win, I think we’re not ready to compete for the title,’ Maresca said after beating the Bees to make it five Premier League victories in a row.
‘One of the reasons is I think the team that knows how to compete to win titles will not concede a goal (Bryan Mbeumo’s late consolation) like we concede.
‘On 90 minutes, a throw-in for us and we concede a goal. A team that knows how to win titles, that goal they’re not to going to concede. It’s why I continue to say that we are not ready for titles. Even if you don’t believe me.
‘I would love the pressure to compete for the title. But we cannot concede the goal we concede and open the game and give them the chance to take a point here.’