Chelsea captain Reece James has sought out leadership advice from Rugby World Cup-winning captain Siya Kolisi during the recent international break.
Against Newcastle, the full-back was dismissed in the second half for a second bookable offence as his side fell to a disappointing 4-1 loss at St. James’ Park.
The Blues have suffered their fifth loss of the season and are currently tenth, twelve points behind the four-place pack.
Meanwhile, James’s dreadful afternoon at St. James’ Park extends his own lacklustre start to the season.
Since assuming the captaincy of the club in the summer, the 23-year-old has struggled to maintain fitness; he appeared in his sixth Premier League match of the year last weekend.
In conjunction with Mauricio Pochettino’s squad’s sluggish start to the season, these injury issues have prompted the England international to seek assistance in an effort to enhance his leadership attributes and propel his team’s fortunes backwards.
Reportedly seeking counsel from seasoned defender Thiago Silva, he recently travelled to Paris on the international break to meet with men’s South African rugby team captain Kolisi.
It is praised that Kolisi, who led the Springboks to consecutive World Cup victories in 2019 and earlier this year in France, can serve as a unifying voice for a nation that is frequently divided.
James, who expressed regret for his red card following the Newcastle loss, will be hoping that the Springboks captain’s counsel will have an impact on him as Chelsea approach the critical Christmas season.
Pochettino, on the contrary, refrained from publicly criticising his captain for the dismissal, stating during his press conference following the match: “Disappointed… look this type of thing happens in football.
“Of course, disappointed of course because we should finish with a player but it happens and we need to accept.”
James will be sidelined for Sunday’s match against Brighton, but will return for Wednesday, December 6th, for the crucial away match against Manchester United.
