Nine Premier League clubs will introduce new managers at the start of the season on Friday, but Enzo Maresca, Andoni Iraola, and Xabi Alonso will feel the most pressure. Since the post-war season of 1946/47, there has been no such high number of managerial changes in the English top division.
Changes in the coaching staff have resulted in Michael Carrick, hired by Manchester United only in January, becoming the longest-serving manager in the league, occupying tenth place in terms of tenure.
Maresca, Iraola, and Alonso will face the harshest criticism as they begin their challenging tasks at Manchester City, Liverpool, and Chelsea, respectively.
Maresca Returns to Manchester City
Maresca stated that he feels 'at home' returning to Manchester City, but he is already under pressure following an unsatisfactory start to his difficult mission to replace Pep Guardiola. The Italian specialist begins his third spell at the club; previously, he held the position of head coach of the elite youth team in the 2020/21 season and assistant coach in the 2022/23 season, which was triumphant for City.
After this, he managed Leicester's return to the Premier League, and then moved to Chelsea, where he won the UEFA Conference League and the Club World Cup during a turbulent 18-month period. City has long viewed the 46-year-old Maresca as a potential successor to Guardiola, who won 20 trophies in ten years in Manchester.
Maresca spoke of the 'privilege' and 'challenge' of stepping into the shoes of his former boss. However, given City's 3-0 defeat to Premier League champions Arsenal in the Community Shield on Sunday, Maresca faces a huge task of winning the club's first league title since 2024.
Iraola Enjoys the 'Magic' of Liverpool
Iraola, 44, told Liverpool fans that he wishes to 'earn the right to be one of you' after replacing Arne Slot at Anfield. The Dutch coach was sacked just 12 months after leading the Reds to the club's 20th league title, matching a record, following a worrying dip in form last season.
Iraola, hired for his tactical mind, is expected to return Liverpool to the aggressive 'heavy metal' style of football they displayed under their beloved former coach Jürgen Klopp, Arne Slot's immediate predecessor. The Spaniard attracted Liverpool's attention due to his success at Bournemouth, where he improved the club's league position in each of his three spells. Finishing sixth last season allowed the south coast club to reach Europe for the first time in its history.
In his first press conference, Iraola spoke about the 'magic' of working at Liverpool, but he fully realizes that he is taking a huge step forward, and the pressure will be unprecedented.
Alonso Must Prove Himself
Alonso was long associated with Liverpool, where he won the Champions League as a player. Instead, Chelsea is the next stop in his coaching career. The Spaniard's breakthrough as a coach occurred in Germany with Bayer Leverkusen, where he orchestrated an unprecedented unbeaten home double in the 2023/24 season. This allowed him to secure the head coach position at his former club Real Madrid, but his stay at the Bernabéu quickly deteriorated, and he left the club in January, having worked for less than eight months.
Alonso admitted that his early departure from Madrid left a 'scar,' but stated that he has healed because he is looking to the future. The 44-year-old coach's task is to stabilize the ship at Chelsea after a chaotic season that began with Maresca and included a short unsuccessful spell under Liam Rosenior. The Blues were fighting for tenth place in the Premier League and have since returned to the transfer market, notably making Morgan Rogers the most expensive British player in history.
The absence of European tournaments may give Alonso valuable time to build a team in his style. However, fewer matches also make it harder to maintain the morale of an inflated squad while he tries to restore stability at a club desperately needing a period of calm.
