Pochettino says he doesn't currently speak with Chelsea owners
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has admitted that he has not spoken to the club’s owners in months. Todd Boehly and company initially brought the highly-rated coach into the team in the summer. The Argentine was only given a two-year contract with the West London side. Chelsea, however, can add one more year to the deal if they choose.
Nevertheless, Pochettino currently finds himself under pressure at the moment. Despite the club expecting to bounce back from an awful 2022/23 season, the Blues have once again struggled during the current campaign. Chelsea is still middle of the pack in the Premier League standings.
Following the team’s 5-0 defeat to rivals Arsenal on Tuesday, rumors began to intensify over Pochettino’s place in the team. There have already been suggestions that the club is compiling a wish list of coaches should they part ways with their manager.
The Blues boss did not exactly ease the concerns regarding his future on Friday. Instead, Pochettino claimed that he now does not even speak with Boehly. “To be honest, in the last few months we didn’t [speak face-to-face],” claimed the coach. “We communicate through the sporting directors. My views and feelings have not changed despite not crossing paths.”
“It looks [in the media] like only I need to prove myself. It’s always ‘the coach needs to prove himself.’ But we are all responsible. We all need to prove that we deserve to be here next season.”
Blues brass could risk player revolt if they fire manager
While a significant chunk of Chelsea fans may want a managerial change after constant frustrations, it appears as if the players mostly support Pochettino. Reports out of England claim that many Blues stars still feel as if the Argentine is the right man for the job. This is particularly the case with the youngsters in the squad.
The coach’s man-management skills are appreciated by the youth players teetering on the brink of the first team. This support is at least partially because Pochettino has generally supported his squad throughout the season. Although the British media has been tough on the team, the manager has attempted to shield his players from criticism.
Along with player approval reportedly being high, Chelsea has dealt with some significant injuries throughout the campaign. The Blues currently have 10 players sidelined with various setbacks. This list includes regular starters such as Robert Sanchez, Reece James, Ben Chilwell, and Christopher Nkunku. Enzo Fernandez will also miss the remainder of the season after undergoing groin surgery on Friday.
Chelsea must think long-term due to their transfer strategy
Chelsea brass could very well be tempted to make a coaching change. However, there are not exactly a ton of potential managerial options at the moment. The club has been linked with a possible move for Brighton‘s Roberto De Zerbi if they fire Pochettino. While the Italian coach is rated highly by many, Bayern Munich and Liverpool have (so far) steered clear of hiring the manager. This comes despite the fact that De Zerbi has been quite vocal about being open to leaving the South Coast.
The Blues could also take a page out of Arsenal’s book by backing their respected coach during tough times. Owners of the Gunners publicly supported manager Mikel Arteta while the team suffered on the pitch. The move to be patient has certainly paid off for the north London side. Arsenal currently find themselves atop the Premier League standings and have one of the more exciting teams in all of Europe.
Much like Arsenal, Chelsea has one of the youngest teams in the entire English top flight. The Gunners have endured growing pains but have allowed their core group to mature together. Boehly and company should have expected similar issues when they targeted such a young squad.
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