It’s often said that English football fans care more about captaincy more than fans in every other country put together, and reading Simon Johnson’s extended essay about Chelsea’s captain today, you could well believe it.
What is essentially a ceremonial position takes on huge importance in the Premier League, and Chelsea are no different. Reece James is the incumbent, but he’s under pressure in that role. That pressure led to a question about whether the full back would continue in that role, and by not simply answering “yes,” new manager Enzo Maresca has everyone wondering if he might pick someone new.
Maresca said that “James will be one of the captains,” and when asked about it himself, the full back admitted that the new coach hadn’t spoken to him about it. Johnson makes it clear, however that “James wants to keep the job and his efforts to do just that are already being noticed.”
James developing into a leader
There are a few good examples – firstly James stepping up to take the most awkward possible press conference, in the direct aftermath of the Enzo Fernandez racist song scandal. He’s also been “involved in some form of mediation” between Enzo and the teammates who felt most offended by the scandal.
There’s also his role as an events organiser on this tour – he set up the fun initiations for the new signings, for example.
In the piece there’s a tacit admission he wasn’t really sure what he was doing when he was appointed to this position a year ago – “but it has been noted in the camp how the 24 year old is carrying himself with a lot more confidence in the leadership position, and that his presence and persona to be a leader have grown.”
There are plenty of other issues to iron out – his disciplinary record for one – but it sounds like James is growing rapidly into the role.
