Chelsea's third goalkeeper, Bettinelli, shared his role in the Chelsea dressing room, his relationship with the coaching staff, his support for young players and his future career plans in an exclusive interview with The Athletic.
The link between the locker room and the brass
Bettinelli said that because he doesn't get much playing time, he has more opportunities to talk to people and build trusting relationships. He enjoys being a bridge between the players and the hierarchy, helping the players with problems in their lives and passing on information. He appreciates his experience with the changes at the club and enjoys his new role as part of the locker room.
Relationship with the coaching team
Bettinelli has had a good relationship with a number of Chelsea coaches, including Pochettino, Potter and Tuchel. He emphasized the pleasant experience of working with Maresca and expressed his desire to go further in his role as a bridge of communication. Despite contributing a lot off the field, he continues to train and work hard to improve himself.
Supporting young players
Against the backdrop of Chelsea's plethora of young players, Bettinelli believes it is important to have a senior player around him. He is willing to help ease the burden on young players, make sure they get on the pitch on time and act as a sounding board for the coaching staff as they introduce new ways. He respects the coaching staff and employees and believes Chelsea have a great group of lads who are learning and growing.
Representative of the Professional Footballers Association (PFA)
When Aspilicueta left, Bertinelli was chosen to represent Chelsea at the PFA. He was happy to take over this job, helping to ease the burden on players such as captain Reece James, showing his sense of responsibility and team spirit.
Future career planning
Bettinelli has revealed that he is still some time away from retirement, but he already has a clear plan for the future. He made it clear that he does not want to work in management, but is passionate about goalkeeping coaching. He plans to earn his UEFA A goalkeeping coaching certificate and enjoys the process of helping young goalkeepers. He mentioned that he has helped players such as Eddie Beech and Ted Couture and wants to continue to see young goalies grow by sharing his experience and advice.
