Chelsea FC Interviews Michael Emenalo: The Comprehensive Report
The Role
The academy, recruitment and scouting departments that sit under Emenalo’s leadership are shaping the future of one of the biggest football clubs in the world and from the start of the interview he is quick to acknowledge the demands and expectations associated with his role of Technical Director.
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Emenalo’s relationships with Jose Mourinho and the academy management team are vital to the success of his role and he admits as much by saying that it is his responsibility to ensure that everything runs “smoothly” between the departments.
It appears as though that one of the biggest undertakings Emenalo has overseen during his 4 year tenure is an overhaul of the recruitment process. In a move that is steeped in common sense and logic, he has looked to make the club’s scout network, headed up by Scott McLachlan, more efficient and professional. The once vast network has been “thinned” so that there is “less bodies” and there is now more of an emphasis on the scouts being “discreet, whilst not showing their hands or pursuing a player without being overtly crass”.
This may amuse some people given how public Chelsea’s pursuit of John Stones was this summer. The Blues openly stated that they wanted to buy the player, a move that it could easily be described as “overtly crass”. Roberto Martinez even went so far as to accuse the club of tapping up.
Having said that, the club did land Pedro, Abdul Baba Rahman and Michael Hector without much preceeding fanfare so maybe he has a point.
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