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It seems that Todd Boehly is about to make a good decision by hiring Mauricio Pochettino. It would be wise to leave him and the players alone after he arrives.
Chelsea fans who are against the idea of signing Pochettino are also reticent because he hasn’t won anything with Tottenham, which we’d contend for, it’s Tottenhamor why he failed at Paris Saint-Germain, to which we would say everyone failed by PSG’s failure metric: they didn’t win the Champions League.
We would in no way recommend taking Paul Parker’s word for gospel – the former Manchester United full-back did too uncomfortably described Kaoru Mitoma as a «PR signature» and believes Gareth Southgate should ditch Harry Kane because he «doesn’t want to score goals» – but he deserves credit, his practical reasoning for Chelsea’s signing of Pochettino hits home.
“He’s the perfect manager for them. People were criticizing him after he left PSG which is miserable. That club is outrageous and if you don’t win the Champions League you will be sacked. He has done incredibly well for Tottenham. He took them to the top four, took them to the Champions League final and the fans loved him. He plays fun football and could do great things with Chelsea.»
Pochettino took Southampton from 16th to eighth in a season and a half and transformed Tottenham into the Champions League, taking them to the final in 2019. Their best season in the Premier League saw them finish runners-up to Chelsea in 2016/17.
To coin the phrase of a very different (fortunately much more humble) candidate for the permanent concert at Stamford Bridge, denigrators will argue that those alleged success stories make Pochettino a «failure specialist». Add in his failure to win Ligue 1 in his first season in charge of PSG and it’s not difficult to picture Pochettino as a manager just below the elite.
But even those doubters would be hard-pressed to deny his Chelsea eligibility.
James Ward-Prowse, Luke Shaw, Dele Alli and Harry Kane are among the young players who have thrived under his leadership, which bodes well for a Chelsea side bristling with potential. Pochettino also oversaw a squad overhaul at Tottenham, with just five of the players he inherited remaining when he left five years later.
Reports suggest he fares well upwards, with former employers all speaking highly of him, which presumably has something to do with his charismatic demeanor. You can’t help but be drawn to him, a trait crucial to his exemplary handling of the man.
Chelsea’s decision makers are said to be ‘impressed’ in particular by Pochettino’s ‘roadmap’ for Mykhaylo Mudryk, who has struggled since his cash transfer from Shakthar Donetsk in January, and Levi Colwill, who will return from his promising loan spell with Brighton at the end of the season.
Pochettino said what Chelsea officials want to hear: Picking the club’s biggest academy hope and most expensive/promising signing of the season was smart. This will play well with the fans as well as the club hierarchy.
THE Chelsea players are ready to ‘welcome’ Pochettino in a dressing room which should henceforth be banned from Todd Boehly, Behdad Egbhali and to whatever kid they want to take a ride.
Because hiring Pochettino would be a good decision amid a sea of mistakes by the club’s new owners since taking the helm at Stamford Bridge, and the best way for them to avoid further mistakes would be to let the f*** coach and players only.
Frank Lampard said it Boehly’s post-game pep talks ‘show passion’but then Lampard was not going to bite the hand that gave him a job that he in no way deserved.
Nothing good can come from those locker room visits. By the time Boehly launched his speech, his job is supposed to be done. He did it wrong, but he can’t fix it in any way call the players he is signed «embarrassing».
You can see why Boehly and Egbhali felt this I had do or say something – things were so bad. But hiring Pochettino should solve the problem. He lets the coach manage and the players play. And while we’re at it, he lets directors direct, recruiters recruit, and analysts analyze. All Chelsea need from Boehly is a willingness to spend money.
