‘I apologise’ – Emmanuel Petit drops F-bomb on live radio over Chelsea saga following Enzo Maresca’s sacking
World Cup winner Emmanuel Petit needed just two words to sum up his thoughts on an element of modern football.
Petit joined Sam Matterface, Alex Crook and Aston Villa legend Gabby Agbonlahor in the talkSPORT studio on Friday as they discussed Chelsea’s divisive situation under ownership group BlueCo.
It came to a head in the wake of Enzo Maresca’s exit from Stamford Bridge, which was understood to be driven by a disagreement between the Italian and Chelsea’s top brass regarding the medical department, with the club believing it needed to be autonomous from the manager.
The disagreement was just the tip of the iceberg regarding the breakdown in relations which had already been strained for some time, evidenced by Maresca claiming he’d endured ‘the worst 48 hours’ of his time at the club following a 2-0 win over Everton in December.
Fans have also voiced their frustrations with BlueCo, as a survey conducted by the Chelsea Supporters’ Trust revealed over half of the surveyed fans were ‘very unconfident’ the club could deliver on-field success in the next three to five years.
Are Blue for real?
Petit echoed the supporters’ sentiment on talkSPORT and pointed out how Ruben Amorim endured a similar situation with higher-ups at Manchester United trying to meddle with his managerial duties.
“There’s no vision, they cannot see the future of it,” Petit said.
“It’s only based on money, money, money. I understand that, that’s the situation in football now. We have to accept it.
“But in the meantime, it doesn’t mean you cannot have a vision on a couple of years and stick with it.
“It’s the same situation at Manchester United. Amorim, it’s kind of different in the way he reacted. But the way he said things about the board and the people in charge.
“It’s funny, so many people have been asking me the same question for months and months, ‘Why don’t you become a manager?’
“What for? Explain to me? To get a headache every day when I go to the training ground with the players, with the press and especially with my boss?
“Before going onto the pitch and trying to win the games, I have to try and win the games outside the pitch. I don’t have this energy.
“I love football, I don’t want to be in trouble with people that don’t get it, that don’t understand what it means to win a game.”
Agbonlahor then conjured up a scenario based on what modern football has become, stating: “Imagine a physio saying to Arsene Wenger, you have to take that player off after 55 minutes.”
Petit, disgusted and stunned at the possibility of that ever happening, replied: “F*** off.”
The Frenchman’s quip sparked laughter from the panel but, given he’d just swore on live radio, Petit quickly apologised for the verbal slip-up.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, guys, I apologise,” Petit said.
After the laughter had died down, Petit added: “Can you imagine Sir Alex Ferguson, the guy’s coming, ‘Mr Ferguson, can I talk to you for a minute, you should not play that guy.'”
Instead of the chaotic nature that has engulfed Chelsea and United with their respective managerial roles, Petit felt they could take a lead out of Arsenal’s book.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta boasts the second-longest tenure among Premier League managers having been appointed in December 2019, with only Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola boasting a longer stint in charge.
Despite Arteta enduring a rocky start, Arsenal held firm and stuck by their manager.
It is a decision that has paid dividends with the Gunners in pole position to win their first league title in over two decades.
“Arteta was under such pressure for two years when he took over at Arsenal,” Petit said.
“And the board kept him. Look what is happening right now.
“OK, they didn’t win anything at all except for the FA Cup.
“But they are on a good way to win the Premier League and you can see the DNA of the team on the pitch.
“Time is priceless in football. Those people who are in charge of football, they don’t know anything about football.
“They just want the results, which means the money you can bring in.”
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