Enzo Maresca affirmed that he will not copy Pep Guardiola after taking over Manchester City, although admitting that his predecessor is one of the greatest coaches in football history. The Italian strategist believes that Man City has a solid enough foundation to avoid repeating the mistakes of Manchester United or Arsenal after parting ways with legendary coaches.
Before officially starting work, Maresca had many exchanges with Guardiola. The two also spent time meeting directly to share experiences, after more than a decade of Guardiola building an empire at the Etihad Stadium.
Maresca used to work under Guardiola in the 2022-2023 season, contributing to helping Man City win the historic treble. This period helped the relationship between the two coaches become closer. However, the new Man City captain emphasized that he will not follow the path of "copiing verbatim" the philosophy of his predecessor.
The important thing is that I am here to do my job in my own way. I am not here to copy anyone. I want to build my own playing style, ideas and view of football" - Maresca shared at the launch press conference.
According to the 46-year-old strategist, Man City's choice may stem from philosophical similarities with Guardiola, such as controlling the ball, aggressive pressing and imposing the game. However, each coach has a different way of managing and operating the team.
We can share some principles, but everyone has their own approach. I don't believe in completely copying a successful model," he said.
Maresca also understands the pressure when taking over a team that has just gone through the most glorious period in history. He cited Manchester United after Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsenal after Arsene Wenger left both facing many difficulties in the transition process.
However, the former Chelsea coach believes Man City has more advantages thanks to a stable management system, modern infrastructure and a quality framework left by Guardiola.
Besides building the playing style, the Italian coach also has to solve many personnel issues. He said he has not yet decided who will succeed Bernardo Silva in the role of captain, but Rodri, Ruben Dias and Erling Haaland are bright candidates.
Meanwhile, Rodri's future remains a question mark as Real Madrid closely follows the Spanish midfielder. However, Maresca appears calm in the face of transfer rumors.
In addition, Maresca also placed high hopes on Phil Foden after a period of decline in form. He revealed that he had spoken privately with the English midfielder and pledged to help his student regain the best version of himself.
I want Phil Foden to enjoy football again. When he reaches high form, Man City will be much stronger. My task is to help Phil Foden regain confidence and fully develop his ability" - Maresca emphasized.
Although affirming that he will inherit the values that Guardiola left behind, Maresca also wants to create his own mark at Etihad. His success or failure will only be verified over time, but his confident debut shows that the Italian strategist is ready to step into the biggest challenge in his coaching career.
