‘He’s a cultural architect’ – Chelsea make surprise hire of rugby league legend to help turn flailing season around

CHELSEA person made a astonishment prosecute by naming Willie Isa successful a subordinate enactment role.

The rugby league fable has been recruited from the Wigan Warriors.

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Willie Isa has started moving astatine Chelsea[/caption]

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Matt Peet has backed Isa to marque an interaction astatine the club[/caption]

Isa, 36, retired from playing successful January aft winning 4 large trophies with the Warriors successful 2024.

During his career, helium besides impressed astatine Australian sides Penrith Panthers and Melbourne Storm.

It was erstwhile helium moved to England successful 2011 helium enjoyed a trophy filled decennary which included 2 nine satellite championships.

Isa has been baked to marque a affirmative interaction astatine the nine by Warriors caput manager Matt Peet.

He told The Athletic: “I don’t expect the supporters to ever physically spot the interaction helium has astatine Chelsea.

“But helium is simply a taste architect.

“He volition marque the situation amended and each the individuals astir the situation better.

“Ignore the antithetic signifier of the shot that helium is associated with, Willie’s accomplishment acceptable is each astir high-performing teams, enactment and dealing with people.

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“Everyone astatine Wigan and successful rugby league understands wherefore Chelsea person made this move.

“It’s intelligent.”

Chelsea fans volition beryllium hoping that Isa has an contiguous interaction connected Enzo Maresca‘s squad.

The Blues person dropped disconnected successful caller weeks, with lone 2 Premier League wins successful their past 5 games.

This tally of signifier has seen the nine autumn distant successful the contention for the apical 4 conscionable 2 months aft they were being considered arsenic rubric challengers.

The downturn has seen Maresca travel underfire from immoderate Chelsea legends.

Former defender Frank Leboeuf took purpose astatine the nine aft the defeat to Brighton arsenic helium criticised the deficiency of combat from the players.

He said: “I saw a squad that gave up aft the 2nd goal. We didn’t privation to combat and didn’t cognize what to do.

“That was truthful atrocious and truthful unprofessional.”

William Gallas adjacent deed retired astatine the commencement of the season to assertion determination was not capable prime successful the team.

He said: “I’m looking astatine this squad of players and I don’t spot astir capable quality.

“There is nary mode they’d get into the champion Chelsea teams – fractional wouldn’t adjacent get connected the bench.

“They aren’t bully capable to triumph a title, which should ever beryllium the purpose of a nine similar Chelsea.

“Are they bully capable to prime for the Champions League? I person superior doubts.

“I don’t recognise this mentation of Chelsea anymore.”