Liam Rosenior handed Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez a two-game ban following comments about his future
Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer were in agreement that Liam Rosenior finds himself in a difficult position regarding Enzo Fernandez’s recent comments about his future. The Chelsea boss handed the Argentinian a two-game club ban following his comments about potentially living in Madrid in the future, with Fernandez missing the FA Cup win over Port Vale at the weekend.
The 25-year-old is also set to miss the clash with Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City this weekend, with both pundits drawing comparisons between how the two managers have handled recent transfer speculation.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Shearer said: “I guess the talking point before the game was Chelsea banning Enzo for a couple of games, for what he said.”
Lineker said: “I thought that was slightly odd. I don’t think he said anything particularly bad or detrimental to Chelsea. He basically just said he’d like to live in Madrid.
“Cucurella said something similar and didn’t get punished. We saw Rodri saying – I mean who wouldn’t want to play for Real Madrid? I don’t understand.
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“I think to give him a two-game ban for it, yeah, fine him if you want to do it. Fine him and keep it in house.
“I just don’t see how that helps you. But, you know, they came out and won 7-0, so it didn’t make any difference.
“I just thought it was a little bit odd. The way Pep [Guardiola] handled Rodri, I know he’s much more experienced, and he’s done it all, but Pep, we all want him to sign another contract.
“We want him to stay, but he’s from Spain, and who doesn’t want to play for Real Madrid? Like all my players, if they want to leave, we’ll sell them.”
“That’s the difference,” Shearer pointed out. “The atitude of one guy that’s won it all, rather than the guy that’s just trying to get into the game.
“He’s trying to make a statement to the dressing room and a stance that you can’t – it’s not the right thing to say, but there are different ways of going about it.
“I guess fining players who are on £150k, £200k, £250 a week is not a deterrent anymore is it?”
Micah Richards said: I think he had to do it. With all the pressure that Rosenior has been under recently, and players are coming out and saying that, it makes you look weak as a manager if you don’t say anything.
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“What I would have done if I was a manager, I would have said ‘I’ll leave him out of the next game’ because it’s Port Vale and then he’s available. I wouldn’t say two games because it looks like he’s disciplined him, but he’s still back for the Man City game.
“Cause he’s going to need Enzo because he’s one of their best players. But he had to say something. It’s easier to say it for Pep.”
Shearer added: “The only problem you’ve got with disciplining someone and missing the games, is that when another player steps out of line, straight away they’re going to think ‘well, hand on, he’s disciplined him for game-wise.’
“So you have to do something similar when it comes up next. That’s the only problem.”
“It’s not an easy situation for a young manager,” Lineker said. “He’s finding his feet, which should cut him a little bit of slack and it was a good victory for them.”
