Maresca says his fisherman father has tougher workday than Chelsea castoffs Sterling and Disasi

LONDON (AP) — Enzo Maresca’s dad would take Raheem Sterling’s training hours any day of the week.

The Chelsea manager cited his father’s grueling workdays as a fisherman to put into perspective the difficulties facing players Sterling and Axel Disasi, who have been isolated from the first team.

“My father is 75 years old and for 50 years he has been (a) fisherman, working from 2 o’clock in the morning until 10 o’clock in the morning,” the Italian coach said Friday ahead of Chelsea’s game at Manchester United. “This is sad in life, not a player the way they work.”

Neither player is in Maresca’s plans and the coach has said he’s not spoken to them this season. Both players have been kept separate from the team, training and eating alone and at different times to the rest of the squad.

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