Wigan Warriors head coach Matt Peet had an idea. He arranged a team culture meeting prior to training at Robin Park Arena and asked each of the 25 players present to reveal one kindness that a team-mate had performed for him which no one else knew.
Willie Isa’s name featured more than anyone else’s. In fact, over half of the answers related to the 36-year-old, who retired as a rugby league player in January before being appointed ‘cultural architect’ with Chelsea Football Club the next month.
His name came up for various good deeds. For opening wide the doors to his home which he shared with his other half, the Liverpool Women defender Gemma Bonner, when a team-mate needed somewhere to stay.
For taking the time to go for a coffee after hearing someone was struggling. For lending someone money. For acting as a taxi driver to and from training when another’s car was at the mechanic’s.
Wigan enjoyed one of their greatest ever periods with Isa in the side, claiming a glorious Treble, including last year’s World Club Challenge against Australian giants Penrith Panthers. And this is the story of how the Auckland-born ‘mentality monster’ turned Chelsea into world champions too.
‘A lot of it came from the younger end of the group as well, people who were not established in the squad and trying to make their way up in the rankings,’ Warriors captain Liam Farrell tells Mail Sport of that morning meeting.
Willie Isa has brought his world champion mentality to Chelsea since arriving in February
Isa was part of the all-conquering Wigan Warriors side who won the World Club Challenge last year
Within a few months of being at Chelsea, he has helped them become kings of the world too
‘Willie had helped them out in one way or another. He had gone out of his way and used his own time to spend it with them.
‘Me and Willie have known each other a long time, since 2015. His professionalism around the place, how he conducted his own work and looked after himself, was exemplary. He had the highest standards. He ended up being my training partner. He was on point with everything.
‘Whether it was on the field, off the field, keeping the place tidy, having interactions with the young lads. Any sporting organisation would be lucky to have him.’
The Warriors’ loss has been Chelsea’s gain, with Farrell admitting: ‘We have definitely missed him. There is a part of the club that’s gone missing and we won’t necessarily replace him. I’d go to him for advice. It bettered me. If things needed saying to the lads, he could say them in a different way to me.’
That includes Isa not shying away from telling a player what’s what, even if he is genteel by nature. He will do it in front of a big group of their peers if necessary, and that no-nonsense approach is helpful for Chelsea, given the average age of the squad working under Enzo Maresca.
They are the youngest in the Premier League and it cannot only fall on Tosin Adarabioyo – or ‘Uncle Tosin’ as the 27-year-old is known within the changing room – to set the standards as their oldest outfielder.
When Mail Sport broke the news of Isa’s career change six months ago, it came out of the blue, although he had been working on moving into football for some time.
A former Samoa international who was born in New Zealand and grew up in Sydney, he started supporting Liverpool from a young age, with his love for the Reds stemming from his father being a big Ian Rush fan.
Isa spent eight years with Wigan, having also played for Castleford and Widnes in Super League
His direct style can be exactly what this very young Chelsea squad needs this season
When Isa signed for Widnes Vikings in 2011, he found the passion of the people of Merseyside infectious. He visited Anfield for the first time as a fan, and then got to play there in the 2019 Magic Weekend after his Warriors switch.
He even scored a try in front of the Kop, but could not celebrate as his team were trailing to Warrington Wolves at the time. That came a week before Isa travelled to Madrid to watch Liverpool beat Tottenham 2-0 in the 2019 Champions League final.
He formed a relationship with his favourite team, even going to speak to Liverpool’s academy sides at their AXA training centre. He talked culture and leadership and got on with their Under-21s manager, Barry Lewtas, who left the club in June after 12 years.
But it was Chelsea who nabbed Isa upon his retirement in January after doing their homework on his extra curricular activities. His official title is ‘player support and development officer’, with his appointment believed to have been led by director of performance Bryce Kavanagh, sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, and Maresca.
Chelsea’s players will tell you they appreciate Isa’s ever-presence as he marries his schedule to theirs. He is there for every session, every journey, every game. On the pitch for the warm-up. By the tunnel at full-time to shake each player’s hand as they exit. He is there to listen and to talk.
Sometimes those conversations can be serious, like how to mentally cope with monstrous injuries, of which Isa has had a few. As Farrell also told us: ‘He had not played for around 12 months with a foot injury and you would never see a more dedicated ultra professional.
‘It was devastating for him, but you’d never know he was going through that struggle. He would turn up every day and help the squad in the ways he could. He is a credit to himself and his family.’
Other times it could a light-hearted chat, such as how music can change moods. Isa likes a wide variety, from Beethoven to Mariah Carey to the British rapper Dave. When the Warriors lost, he would listen to ‘Three Little Birds’ by Bob Marley to calm down.
Isa celebrates the Club World Cup win with his partner Gemma Bonner, who is a defender for Liverpool, the club he grew up supporting
Chelsea sporting directors Laurence Stewart (centre) and Paul Winstanley (right, pictured with co-owner Behdad Eghbali) were key to Isa’s appointment
Where Chelsea’s players go, he goes, and it never hurts to have some muscle around.
When the Spanish speakers such as Enzo Fernandez, Pedro Neto and Marc Cucurella went shopping in Miami last month, a randomer with a camera phone accosted them at the entrance to a Richard Mille stor,e where watches can cost more than houses. Isa intervened to end the encounter.
Moises Caicedo and Co were also delighted when he agreed to perform a topless Haka in the changing room after one victory previously. They all chanted along and the Chelsea coaching staff, including Maresca, swarmed on Isa in celebration in the aftermath.
When Chelsea were confirmed as world champions in New Jersey, courtesy of a 3-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain, Isa stood next to the dugout at the full-time whistle while everyone else spilled on to the pitch. He banged its roof in celebration, his second trophy secured.
The other silverware came in the Conference League in Wroclaw, Poland, where Chelsea’s owners and directors appeared reluctant to join in with the players’ celebrations. Isa wasn’t having it. Not exactly a shy bairn, he shoved his bosses to the front so they could enjoy it, too.
Now that Chelsea have returned to Cobham for their compressed pre-season, among Isa’s responsibilities will be helping new signings settle in, particularly Jamie Gittens, Jorrel Hato, Estevao Willian and whoever else arrives.
Liam Delap and Joao Pedro were able to use the Club World Cup to get to know their new team-mates. Gittens and Co will learn how there is occasionally a pile of pizza boxes awaiting their return to the changing room after wins, especially on European away days.
That is good news for Isa, whose guilty pleasure remains a meat feast, from when his dad used to promise him a few slices if he scored two or more tries.
Isa’s duties will include welcoming Estevao Willian to the club after he joined from Palmeiras
Joao Pedro (second left) and Liam Delap (second right) have already slipped under Isa’s wing at the Club World Cup
Isa’s appointment was originally ridiculed by rival fans and even some of Chelsea’s own. It was: ‘They’re bringing in another bloke from rugby, are they?’
That was after they previously hired Gilbert Enoka, the All Blacks coach who introduced what he called a ‘no d***heads policy’ into the New Zealand set-up. The collaboration lasted only a matter of months.
Isa’s stay is set to continue into the next campaign, having returned for pre-season with the players.
Chelsea’s ‘mentality monster’ has already had an impact in his initial six months, and now his next task will be helping make sure the world champions do not think their work is done yet.