Keith Wyness shares ‘tapping-up’ reveal as Enzo Maresca’s talks with Man City take new twist
Enzo Maresca’s talks with Man City to become the successor to Pep Guardiola were not surprising.
That is according to ex-Everton, Aston Villa, and Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who believes tapping up is more common than people realise.
Maresca could be on Man City’s shortlist for when Guardiola departs the club, with his contract expiring in 2027.
The links could have led to Maresca’s sacking at Chelsea, with the Italian dismissed after 18 months in west London.
Keith Wyness delivers Enzo Maresca talks verdict
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – has explained why the talks could have taken place.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast, Wyness was not surprised by the whole situation.
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “Well, it may have been done through his agent, but look, one thing I always used to watch for was when I’d seen somebody I liked on the coaching staff that I thought had potential. I’d find out who they had done their coaching badges with, because it seemed to me that nine times out of ten they made friends on that particular coaching course that seemed to be lifelong contacts that they respected from that coaching course. It was where they first become management material if you like, and those friendships stick with you.
“It’s a bit like university friendships or college friendships or apprentice friendships, they stick with you for life, and I always found that seemed to be a very informal network where people kept in touch. There’s no doubt people speak, you know, there’s lots of people in football that cross paths and keep each other and there’s always constant chit-chat going on all the time.
“More than people like to imagine and there’s always a lot more tapping up that goes on more than people imagine as well, that’s definitely for sure. So it wasn’t a surprise, there would have been signals sent out whether those stories were placed on purpose. Again, we have to consider that as to whether the media was playing a journalist, who had been played by an agent.
“All those things happen all the time as well or a mischievous social media tweet. All these things are part of the game these days, but I do think it does happen a lot more than people realise.”
Maresca linked with managerial vacancy
Maresca has links with Man City, with the 45-year-old previously assistant manager under Guardiola and head coach of their under-23 team.
However, Maresca could be the next Man United manager following the sacking of Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford.
Maresca is a contender for the role after leading Chelsea to Europa Conference League and Club World Cup success last season.