Joleon Lescott wanted 'more authority' from Liam Rosenior after Enzo Fernandez decision as Karen Carney predicts problems at Chelsea due to contracts

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TNT Sports pundits Joleon Lescott and Karen Carney gave their views on Enzo Fernandez's suspension from Chelsea's first team after his recent comments. Lescott wanted a more strident response from Liam Rosenior to assert his authority at the club, while Carney predicted that similar problems will occur as a result of Chelsea's approach to long contracts.

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Joleon Lescott believes Liam Rosenior could have taken ”more responsibility” for Enzo Fernandez’s suspension, while Karen Carney predicted more ”difficult situations” to come at Chelsea.

Fernandez said while on international duty with Argentina that he would be keen to live in Madrid, which was taken to be an endorsement of a potential move to Real Madrid in the summer, with the La Liga giants reportedly keen on the player.

His Chelsea team-mate Marc Cucurella also expressed disquiet over developments at Stamford Bridge with comments made while playing for Spain.

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That led Rosenior to announce at a press conference on Friday that Fernandez would be dropped for the club’s next two matches, first against Port Vale in the Emirates FA Cup on Saturday, live on TNT Sports and HBO Max, and next week against Manchester City.

Speaking to TNT Sports before the cup clash, Lescott suggested that Rosenior could have used the decision as a way to stamp his authority as boss rather than indicating the decision was made by the club.

He said of the decision to suspend the player: ”I think it's collective. They are obviously his words, he said. I felt he probably could have taken a bit more responsibility and made the decision his own.

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”Yes, the decision could have been made by the club, but I feel there are a lot of question marks over Liam, and wrongly so.

”I think he could have gained a lot more authority within the group and outside with the media if he'd come out and said, 'This is my decision, I've decided to not put him in for selection,' and lead with that. But it's the right decision.”

Lescott added that he believes players from overseas should show more discipline in how they discuss their future, saying: ”I don't think players should comment on leaving or speculate on other clubs.

”It's crazy that a lot of foreign players tend to go on international duty and think their words can go unheard or untranslated. It’s not new, but I think it's the right decision.”

Chelsea model 'will keep bringing difficult situations'

Lescott’s colleague Carney felt that some of the problem is specific to Chelsea, who sign players to long contracts, and she felt that might mean some are not given salary increases when they feel they are deserved.

”I think it's on the Chelsea model," she said. "It's open they don't pay wages the same as some of the clubs in their so-called bracket, so when players do well they want to be paid what they feel they deserve and that's the downfall of this, so I don't think he'll be the [only player].

”Cucurella, whether it be Cole Palmer, someone like Estevao that has come into a football club, done well, and wants to be paid in a way or valued in a way that they see fit.

”If they don't, is it the contract situation? That is the model of Chelsea and I think it will keep bringing difficult situations. Whether he would have played today is another matter but he will be unavailable for [the match against] City.”

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