Paul Scholes has raised concerns regarding Reece James’ suitability for the captaincy at Chelsea, with recent remarks from Enzo Maresca indicating that the Blues boss shares similar doubts about the right-back’s leadership abilities.James took over the captaincy from Cesar Azpilicueta following the Spaniard’s move to Atletico Madrid in 2023.
However, ongoing injury issues have significantly hindered James’ performance on the pitch, leading to scrutiny over his effectiveness as the team’s captain.During an episode of The Overlap, Manchester United legend Paul Scholes expressed that James may be too shy and reserved for the captaincy role at a club of Chelsea’s stature. “The captain’s role is quite important,” Scholes stated. “We had some unbelievable captains at Manchester United…”
- Maresca emphasized the importance of having strong characters in leadership roles, referencing iconic captains like Bryan Robson, Roy Keane, Tony Adams, John Terry, and Steven Gerrard.
- He noted that young players need to look up to big personalities to grow and develop.
- Reflecting on Reece James’ appointment as captain, Maresca expressed doubt, stating, “He doesn’t look like a captain to me.”
- He described James as “very quiet and shy,” suggesting that while it’s possible to be a captain with such a demeanor, James lacks the expected character for a club of Chelsea’s stature.
- Scholes’ comments followed Chelsea boss Maresca’s concerns about James’ leadership abilities.
- Maresca stated, “For me, because you are the captain, you have to give more than the rest,” emphasizing that being a captain requires consistent effort.
- He criticized the mindset that being captain allows for less effort, saying, “No. He’s one of the captains and I expected from him, and his team-mates expected from him, to give always more in terms of leadership.”
- When asked about James’ response to the call for greater authority, Maresca remarked, “Good, that’s why I said he’s on the way. He understands we expected more from him.”
- Maresca acknowledged that James, being an academy graduate, needs to show more personality in his leadership.
- He also admitted that Chelsea “don’t have a proper leader” at the moment but highlighted centre-backs Tosin Adarabioyo and Levi Colwill as players stepping up behind the scenes.
Maresca continued to emphasize the importance of developing leadership within the team, stating, “When you don’t have a proper leader, you need to build that.” He reiterated his belief that Chelsea currently lacks a strong leader, mentioning Tosin Adarabioyo as a potential candidate. “Reece is there, he’s on the way but he’s not there. He needs to make an effort in that one,” he added, indicating that while Reece James is progressing, he still has room for growth in his leadership role. Maresca also noted Levi Colwill’s development, saying, “Probably at the beginning of the season was not a leader but now you can see that he is one of the guys that is always speaking.” He concluded by highlighting the need to cultivate leadership qualities within the squad.
