One current Chelsea player has been describing his role within this Chelsea team, and it is certainly not a normal role that a player will have in a team.
Of course, top teams need to have all sorts of players and contributors within the ranks, and sometimes it is not just about what they do on the pitch that matters.
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This is certainly the case for Chelsea’s third choice goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli. The stopper has made one single competitive appearance for Chelsea since joining the club in 2021, but he has become an important person within the ranks and has a key role at the club that he says he is enjoying.
It’s an unusual situation, but it seems like the 31-year-old is content with not actually playing for Chelsea and just being a deep backup that will likely never be called on.
But as he explains to the Chelsea website, Bettinelli is enjoying his vocal leader role.
‘I’m older than a lot of the lads, so I try and take that responsibility,’ Betts explains, ‘and I feel like I’ve always been a good team player – that’s just something that I do. When the lads are coming in after a hard game – win, lose or draw – someone’s there to meet them and say “Well done.”
‘Usually, I wait for Djordje or Rob to come in, and they’re usually the last to come in, hence the reason I’m waiting. But I really enjoy my role, I enjoy being a leader, I’m quite a vocal guy, so I enjoy being that person, and though I may not be playing, I can still have an influence on the lads.
‘This season, I think my role has changed slightly, as it’s quite a young squad and we’ve obviously had quite a lot of injuries and stuff. I’ve definitely taken on more of a senior role with the outfield players as well in that sense and I’ve really enjoyed it. But I’ve always been there for the lads, win lose or draw, and I’ve always tried to keep morale up and keep the lads energised.
‘While Reece and Chilly have the captaincy and vice-captaincy, they’ve asked me to step into that role, which I’ve done, and it’s good. When we have been to see the gaffer, it’s been me, Reece and Chilly together.
‘I’ve got a really good relationship with the gaffer, we speak on a daily basis. I’ve got a lot of respect for him and he’s got a lot of respect for me.
‘He’s a great man, so it’s nice that we have that relationship and we have that trust, where we can come to each other and I can go and see him and ask about certain things with days off or training, and stuff like that.
‘I’ve loved every minute of my time here – being involved in finals and Club World Cups, playing with some of the best players in the world. It’s all I’ve ever dreamed of. I joined in the role of third choice knowing that I wasn’t going to play that much, and I thought I might miss it, but because I get to play in training every day, I don’t miss it as much as I thought I would do. I’ve absolutely loved it, and I hope that continues.’
