February 07, (THEWILL) – Chelsea have taken a unique approach to their latest coaching hire, bringing on Gilbert Enoka from the New Zealand rugby union setup.
Enoka has been with the All Blacks for over 22 years, serving as a mental coach for the first 15 years before becoming a leadership manager for the past seven. His expertise in improving team mentality and culture was a key factor in New Zealand’s rugby dominance, including their World Cup wins in 2011 and 2015.
Chelsea hope to utilise Enoka’s skills to help manage the expectations and pressure on their young players, following the club’s recent spending spree under owner, Todd Boehly.
While Enoka has worked with cricket teams in the past, this will be his first venture into football. He is known for his “no d***head” policy, which emphasises the importance of team unity and cutting out disruptive behavior. He believes that it is the responsibility of the players and leaders to call out negative behavior and maintain a positive team environment.
With Enoka on board, Chelsea is poised to make a new approach to their team culture and hope that it translates to improvements in results.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
