The last Chelsea manager to spend five years at Stamford Bridge was Dave Sexton.
When he appointed him in 1967, none of the co-owners Todd Boehly, Behdad Eghbali or José Feliciano had been born.
But Chelsea’s triumvirate, made up of true business tycoons, is no stranger to the news and is completely convinced of their plan to install a head coach who will thrive and grow with Les Bleus in the long term.
Enzo Maresca has signed a five-year contract with Chelsea, plus a contract for a further 12 months.
It will be the second time in two years that Chelsea’s new bosses have appointed a person with whom they can break the mould of short-termism in fashionable football.
Bookings beyond Stamford Bridge, however, point to the fact that Graham Potter, his first pick for an ownership-defining boss, has lasted less than seven months of his own five-year contract.
Chelsea are known for Maresca’s tutelage under the direction of Manchester City’s real fashionable coach, Pep Guardiola.
The Blues Maresca can emulate Mikel Arteta, who has gone from his own apprenticeship under Guardiola to doing a great job with Arsenal.
The Gunners are firing flat out, having taken the remarkable Guardiola all the way in the race for the name and finishing second.
The same can be said for the early stages of Arteta’s tenure at Arsenal, especially at the lowest point in December 2020.
Arsenal finished eighth in 2019-20, Arteta also led the Gunners to an FA Cup triumph after taking the reins midway through that season.
“Chelsea have worked hard to create a formula that they are confident will be effective. “
Their first full crusade then fell into the Premier League’s seven-match slump with one win in the run-up to Christmas, with five defeats and two draws providing the opposite of festive cheer.
It was here that Arsenal’s hierarchy deepened and stood firm, despite a wider clamour for Arteta’s sacking.
A 3-1 home win over Chelsea on Boxing Day proved to be the start of a major recovery and, after an extensive reshuffle of the stage, Arsenal have not looked back.
Arsenal have tweaked their off-field set-up to suit Arteta’s demands and made a point of honour for their former midfielder.
Chelsea is running its business and will rely on its new football hierarchy to become a strong entity that can thrive on the strength of its organisation.
The installation of sports co-administrators Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart ensures continuity to cover all eventualities, with a much-loved recruiting and scouting branch now in position and fully functional too.
Chelsea’s new owners have worked hard to build a formula that they say will be effective. And they hope a forged design will foster long-term control through their next head coach.
But when it comes to ensuring Maresca can remain at the helm of Stamford Bridge for several years, patience will be key.
Chelsea, his current team, are strong enough to be in the Premier League’s top four most level-headed, but Mauricio Pochettino didn’t leave just to finish sixth.
His relationship with Chelsea’s hierarchy had failed and the 52-year-old was not without blame in those tensions.
Pochettino knew exactly the off-field setup that Chelsea favoured and would prioritise, but in the end he struggled to work in that environment. Both parties eventually learned that what they hoped would turn into a successful date risked fitting into a marriage of convenience.
So while Chelsea will have a seventh face at the helm, either permanent or temporary, in five years’ time, Stamford Bridge bosses are convinced that Maresca will constitute a much closer compatibility with west London.
Even the beloved but tumultuous Jose Mourinho managed to last just over five years in two terms at the helm of Chelsea.
Champions League winner Thomas Tuchel was in charge for 18 months, as was his favourite son, Frank Lampard, while Antonio Conte was in charge for two years.
Chelsea’s young team wants some stability after two years of constant turmoil.
If time is football’s ultimate priceless commodity, Chelsea will have to strike a delicate balance between the need for quick effects and sustainable progress.
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