Chelsea assistant admits it’s ‘challenging’ to keep players ‘motivated’

Chelsea assistant coach Zsolt Low has admitted that it is “challenging” to keep their players “motivated” after last season’s Champions League win.

Thomas Tuchel and Low have been at Chelsea since January. This came in the aftermath of Frank Lampard leaving the club.

The Blues enjoyed a brilliant end to the season as they finished in the top four and won the Champions League.

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Chelsea have carried that momentum over into this season. They currently sit top of the Premier League after eight games.

Tuchel’s side are currently a point clear of Liverpool, who are still unbeaten in the league.

Despite this (as cited by The Mirror), Low has suggested that it is “difficult” to keep Chelsea’s players motivated after last year’s success:

“It’s important to keep Chelsea at that level and improve.

“The summer transfer window has been very good, we have been able to get players that we desperately needed and we can move forward with them.

“After the Champions League win, it is very difficult and challenging for our players to stay motivated, but we are constantly working on this.”

On his role, Low added: “A lot of people are asking me what exactly my role in the team is.

“We do everything together from training, planning to creating the framework, tracking the opposition, analysing our matches.

“We get together in a small group, and we live and work together all the time when we’re at the training ground.

“Also we discuss what we saw during the matches together, we share our experiences together at half-time, we may try to change things.

“The manager always has the last word, but we always discuss the processes together, so I can always have my say on everything.”

Elsewhere, Tony Cascarino has suggested that Edouard Mendy is one of Chelsea’s best ever signings:

“Chelsea dug deep. Had a goalkeeper that performed miracles and you could argue that he’s been one of Chelsea’s best ever signings.

“He cost [£22m] from Rennes, came in and seemed to breeze into the team. Showed no signs of concerns of nerves.

“[Saturday] was a day that made you think, ‘Wow’.

“Whoever made the decision, I suspect it was Petr Cech because he was at Rennes as a goalkeeper and will know a lot of people at that football club, and was probably pivotal in that move to get him for Chelsea.”