New Leicester boss Enzo Maresca vows to get Foxes playing like Man City after learning under Pep Guardiola… but warns he will need time to transform them as he prepares for gruelling Championship season
- Enzo Maresca insists he wants Leicester to play like his Man City team did
- The Italian has stressed it will take time to transform the team into a passing side
- He warned Leicester’s rivals will smell blood when they come to the King Power
Enzo Maresca vowed to follow Pep Guardiola’s lead at Leicester this season but warned he cannot turn them into Manchester City overnight.
The Italian accepted the job of leading the relegated Foxes back to the Premier League just days after playing his part in helping City win an historic Treble last term.
This will be his first senior managerial role in English football and Maresca has set his sights high. He said: ‘The idea is that (the way City play) but it won’t be tomorrow. The idea is to play the way we want but that requires time. I hope we can achieve it as soon as possible.
‘I was where I was (City) because my idea is that way. We want to have the ball, the most beautiful thing for players. This is our target.
‘Every team will want to come to our stadium and take points as probably for them we are the most important team in the Championship.
Leicester boss Enzo Maresca has vowed to follow Pep Guardiola’s lead by turning the Foxes into an attractive, passing team
The Italian learned under Guardiola as his assistant but insists he shares the Spaniard’s attacking philosophy
He warned he will not be able to transform Leicester overnight as he prepares for a tough task of attempting instant promotion
‘I experienced this at City. Every team were trying desperately to get points from us as the best team in the Premier League. The same will happen with us and we have to be ready.’
As well as working with Guardiola, Maresca was also part of former City boss Manuel Pellegrini’s staff at West Ham, and played under Italian coaches Carlo Ancelotti and Marcello Lippi.
He also spent one-and-a-half seasons as a young player at West Bromwich Albion between 1998 and 2000 so he has already had a taste of the second tier.
After losing star man James Maddison to Tottenham, Leicester moved quickly to secure deals for England internationals Conor Coady and Harry Winks and Maresca expects many more to follow.
Though he was desperate to break into management, Maresca admitted it had been a wrench to leave City. He added: ‘It has been a bit difficult. Since I joined City my family and I always felt a part of the club, so personally it was not easy.
‘But professionally I had no doubts. It was an easy choice. Leicester is an important Premier League club although the reality is that we are in the Championship. We have to adapt quickly because if we don’t, it could be a bad thing.’
Maresca also warned his players that teams will come to the King Power ‘desperate’ for points
