Paul Scholes says current Chelsea skipper Reece James ‘doesn’t look like a captain’ after Enzo Maresca questioned his leadership qualities.
Maresca recently admitted he ‘expected more’ from James in terms of his leadership since he took over of the Stamford Bridge club in July.
James, who has been at Chelsea since the age of six, was appointed captain ahead of the 2023-24 campaign following Cesar Azpilicueta’s departure.
Speaking before Chelsea’s 2-1 win over Newcastle United on Sunday, Maresca criticised James’ leadership qualities and urged him to ‘do more’.
‘I spoke with him and I expect from him more in terms of leadership inside the changing room,’ said Maresca, who left Championship winners Leicester to take charge of Chelsea.
‘He’s on the way, he’s doing well, he’s progressing but I expect more. Most of the time, a player thinks that “because I am captain I expect that you [the manager] give me more”.
‘No, for me because you are the captain you have to give more. You have to give more than the rest.
‘I expect it from Reece and his team-mates expect it from him to give always more in terms of leadership.’
Scholes was asked for his take on the situation on an episode of The Overlap with Sky Bet and admitted he never saw James as captain material.
The former Manchester United and England midfielder believes the role of captain is ‘big’ and ‘important’ and also doubts Chelsea superstar Cole Palmer would make a good skipper.
‘The captain’s role is quite important,’ Scholes said. ‘We had some unbelievable captains at Manchester United.
‘Bryan Robson is someone you look up to with the stature, the presence, he looks after his players. Roy Keane – these types of players. I think it’s important.
‘You look at Arsenal, you look at the great captains – Tony Adams, Chelsea – John Terry, Liverpool – Steven Gerrard. All the big characters in the team, it’s important for these young players to look up to that. I think it’s big.
‘I remember when Reece James got appointed, I thought, he doesn’t look like a captain to me.
‘He seems very quiet and shy. You can be captain like that but he’s just not the character that you’d expect for a club the size as Chelsea football club.
‘Off the pitch, they are big characters as well that people look up to. I don’t see Cole Palmer as a captain.’
While Maresca has complained about a lack of leadership within his dressing room, that has not stopped Chelsea from enjoying an impressive start to the new season.
The Blues are currently fifth in the Premier League with 17 points from nine games and top of the Europa Conference League with two wins from two.
Scholes expected Chelsea to struggle before the season started and admits he even thought Maresca could be the first manager to be sacked in the Premier League.
‘We must give Enzo Maresca credit. I felt he could have been one of the first ones gone but he’s been quite ruthless in what he’s done,’ Scholes added.
‘We’ve seen [Graham] Potter not quite manage to do it, moaning about stuff behind the scenes, buying too many players.
‘[Mauricio] Pochettino came in and last year I felt he really sorted it out for the last five games, and then he goes and says he can’t control it.
‘I just felt he [Enzo] was just a coach, but it looks like he’s done everything. He’s got control, got players out the squad, and he’s built a squad of players now that seem like a brilliantly coached team.’
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