‘My telephone is on’ – Pochettino awaits information over future
A part of the rationale Chelsea’s finish to the season was so spectacular was the consistency it demonstrated.
Their earlier longest successful run below Pochettino was simply three matches. That inconsistency hampered Chelsea for a lot of the season and helped to clarify why a late burst was wanted to sneak into the highest six.
The troughs of Chelsea’s rollercoaster season had been so low that Pochettino admitted he may have been sacked in the beginning of February following heavy defeats to Liverpool and Wolves.
The second of these losses was adopted by a tweet apparently aimed on the supervisor from Belle Silva, the spouse of Thiago Silva, saying: “It’s time to change. If you wait any longer it will be too late.”
Pochettino speaks to Belle Silva after Chelsea’s win over Bournemouth
Pochettino speaks to Belle Silva after Chelsea’s win over Bournemouth
Considering again to the moments after the 4-2 defeat to Wolves, Pochettino mentioned: “You feel loneliness, when you feel like everyone is seeing you as if you’re guilty of something and you don’t know what’s going on.
“We were more sad. It was an unfair situation we were in. It was a situation we didn’t deserve but the result put us in a very difficult situation.”
Inconsistent results are not the only reason Pochettino’s job has come under scrutiny. Many Chelsea fans have simply been unable to look beyond his association with Tottenham, while a perceived failure to connect with the supporters has also been cited.
Pochettino has justified his restraint, saying it would have been “straightforward for me to reach and begin to kiss the badge,” adding he would rather create a “actual feeling”.
His failure to address the supporters after Chelsea’s final-day win over Bournemouth, as well as his absence from the annual lap of appreciation, was noted.
But the manager’s celebrations after the dramatic 4-3 win over Manchester United in April were noticeable for their emotion – an example of Pochettino wanting to create a genuine connection through the team’s actions instead of mere words.
The strong end to the campaign, coupled with European qualification – something the owners were reported to have demanded – should have helped to allay fears over Pochettino’s future.
However, he once again failed to provide clarity on whether he will stay at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, saying only that his “telephone goes to be on” as he awaits the outcome of Chelsea’s reported end-of-season review.
Crucially, the manager has the backing of the players. When rumours of Pochettino’s potential exit began to emerge, they were swiftly followed by reports stating how negatively that scenario would be received within the dressing room.
Speaking after the win at Brighton last week, Cole Palmer – who has emerged as Chelsea’s key player under Pochettino – said: “All of the gamers love him – we’ve bought to battle for him.”
Pochettino has helped to bring the best out of Cole Palmer
Pochettino has helped to bring the best out of Cole Palmer
Something also playing into Pochettino’s hands – and a factor that is often overlooked when calling for a manager’s head – are doubts over whether Chelsea could recruit anybody better.
The Argentine has more than seven years’ experience in the Premier League, took Spurs to the Champions League final and is a league winner from his time with Paris Saint-Germain.
There are very few managers available who can top that CV. Many Chelsea supporters would welcome the return of Thomas Tuchel but, despite his exit from Bayern Munich, bridges have surely been burned after his unceremonious sacking two years ago.
Pochettino is Chelsea’s finest wager proper now and has absolutely accomplished sufficient to see out the second yr of his contract.
