"They're pushing for a start but..."—Enzo Maresca Reveals Why He’s Holding Back Tyrique George and Josh Acheampong From Starting Despite Their Impressive Rise
Enzo Maresca urges caution with young talents Tyrique George and Josh Acheampong, saying they must be carefully managed despite growing fan excitement.
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca might not be every fan’s favorite just yet, but one thing he’s doing well is giving young academy players a fair chance to shine.
Supporters always want to see more Cobham graduates make it into the first team, and while it hasn’t been perfect, Maresca has done a better job than many of his predecessors. He’s found a way to balance using his senior squad with giving chances to the club’s homegrown talents—especially in the Conference League.
One of the best examples of this is Tyrique George. The young winger has steadily grown in importance this season. In fact, he’s played the fifth-most minutes of any Chelsea player in the Conference League. Last weekend, he took things to the next level when he came off the bench and scored a vital equaliser against Fulham in the Premier League.
With his confidence growing and fans getting excited, many have started calling for him to start more games. But when Maresca was asked about this in his press conference, he was quick to manage expectations.
“Yes, he’s pushing for a start,” Maresca admitted. “But for young players, even though we’re excited, we need to manage them carefully. They can get too excited when things go well or feel down too easily when they don’t.”
He mentioned that both George and fellow youngster Josh Acheampong were uncertain about their futures at the start of the season. But after a strong pre-season, the coaching staff decided to keep them around the first team.
While fans may think George is ready to start, Maresca sees the full picture, including how they perform in training and off the pitch. And in his eyes, the youngsters still need more time.
Still, with Nicolas Jackson struggling up front, the calls for George to be given more minutes will only get louder. If he keeps performing like he has, it might not be long before Maresca has no choice but to give him that starting spot.
