In the world of football, there are always debates and discussions about who should be awarded the title of 'Manager of the Season'. This year is no different. Despite a sensational start to his tenure at Liverpool by Arne Slot, former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has suggested that he isn't his pick for manager of the season so far.
Arne Slot has made an impressive start to life at Liverpool. He has guided The Reds to a six-point lead at the top of Premier League table, having lost just one game in all competitions. Out of his 26 games in charge, he recorded an impressive 22 wins.
Moreover, under Slot's guidance, Liverpool have all but secured a place in the Champions League last-16 and have also made it to Carabao Cup semi-finals. However, despite these remarkable achievements and strong performance this season, it seems that they were not enough to impress Rio Ferdinand.
Ferdinand's unexpected choice
In a debate with his old teammate Owen Hargreaves, Ferdinand insisted that Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca would be his pick for manager of the season. This choice might come as surprising given Chelsea currently sits third in league standings - seven points behind Liverpool.
Ferdinand pointed out that Maresca’s work with Chelsea deserves recognition due to their significant improvements from last season which is largely credited to him.
Rio Ferdinand, Manchester United legend, said:
“It's not a big difference, I just think Maresca has come in and took a team from being a circus, a calamity…”
The former Leicester boss took over Chelsea when they were struggling and managed to turn things around significantly this season. His tactical acumen and man-management skills have been praised widely within football circles.
