Former Premier League star baffled by Chelsea’s lack of stability

Ex-Premier League midfielder Emmanuel Petit says Chelsea’s lack of stability will make it difficult for new manager Enzo Maresca to succeed at the club.

Chelsea have lacked direction since Roman Abramovich relinquished control at Stamford Bridge, and they have become a laughing stock in the Premier League.

Speaking to David Seaman’s ‘Seaman Says’ podcast, via Betway, the former Chelsea and Arsenal star said the unsettled environment at Chelsea is not conducive to success.

“It’s very difficult to walk in this environment,” Petit said. “It’s difficult because you need competition to earn your place in the first XI.

“But when there is too much competition there are no links between players. You don’t think about the team, you think about yourself first. It is quite difficult to get unity with the players.

“I used to manage young kids every summer, and last summer I had almost sixty players on the pitch. What can I do with sixty players? I can imagine Maresca actually thinking every time he goes in the morning – ‘what kind of training session can we do?’”

Chelsea’s scattergun approach to their transfer business over the past couple of years has left many people in football scratching their heads at the direction the club has taken.

They have filled their squad with a host of promising talents, but many of them are nowhere near ready to be thrown into the cut and thrust of the Premier League.

Many of their moves for established players have also failed to pay dividends, raising further questions about the club’s overall transfer strategy.

The transfer policy has created unrest in the Chelsea dressing room and led to some of the club’s established stars being ostracised from the first team squad.

These include midfielder Conor Gallagher, who was told he was no longer wanted by the club and eventually sold to La Liga giants Atletico Madrid.

Chelsea are still trying to offload more unwanted players to nations where the transfer window is still open to ensure they comply with Profit and Sustainability Rules.

However, the biggest controversy this summer surrounded Raheem Sterling and Trevoh Chalobah, who were stripped of their squad numbers and first-team training privileges.

While both players ultimately secured loan moves away from Stamford Bridge, Petit believes they have a right to feel extremely aggrieved about their treatment.

“When you have a contract, there are laws that protect you,” Petit added. “Maybe football is outside of society, but the players have a contract and I think the club should respect that.

“It is the same for the players as well. The behaviour of players, sometimes I don’t get it, but what I’ve seen so far from Chelsea, I don’t like it at all because it brings a very, very bad environment between the players.

“Raheem Sterling was told to stay at home to train. How can you train at home in a garden with your kids and your dog?