Mauricio Pochettino: Chelsea Must “Deliver From Day One”
Mauricio Pochettino has been appointed as the new manager of Chelsea, and he has made it clear that there is no time to waste. The former Tottenham boss has taken over at Stamford Bridge on a two-year deal with the option of a third and has warned that there is “no patience” in football and that the team must “deliver from day one”.
The Blues endured a terrible 2022-23 season in which they had three managers and finished 12th in the league. Speaking at his first news conference at Stamford Bridge, Pochettino said: “It is about delivering from now. We cannot tell the people we need six months to create something.”
Pochettino had been linked with a return to Tottenham after they parted company with Antonio Conte in March, but he instead joined their London rivals. He said that the most important thing he needs to show the owners is to trust in him and that the players and fans can trust his decisions and the way he operates.
Pochettino’s Target: To Win
Pochettino has made it clear that his target is to win. Last season, Manchester City claimed a Treble of Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup and Pochettino said his side need to “believe” they can compete. He congratulated Pep Guardiola on what he has achieved with Manchester City and said: “It’s amazing to see a club gain so much stability with the tools from the manager. Chelsea in the last 10, 12 or 15 years have enjoyed a similar achievement. Now, we need to believe that we can also create great things and believe we can compete with Manchester City.”
The Argentine also said that it is not just about winning, but also playing well. He said: “My target is to win, my aim is to win. Play well is our style, philosophy and culture. If you don’t win in a club like Chelsea, you will struggle.”
Transforming Chelsea’s Playing Squad
Pochettino is Chelsea’s sixth permanent manager in five years following the sacking of Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter earlier this season, with Frank Lampard taking interim charge until the end of the season. He is also the fourth boss of new owner Todd Boehly’s reign after the American took over at Stamford Bridge last July.
Chelsea are undergoing a transformation in their playing squad too – they have spent more than £550m on new players and nine have left this summer including Kai Havertz to Arsenal, Mason Mount to Manchester United and captain Cesar Azpilicueta to Atletico Madrid. Pochettino said: “I’m not thinking about how many challenges or the most difficult one. The most important thing is to get a balanced squad. The plan was to reduce the numbers of players and then create a good dynamic on the training ground. I am not giving players the opportunity to waste time. We need to give our best from the start. We are going to have a squad that can deliver.”
Conclusion
Mauricio Pochettino has made it clear that there is no time to waste at Chelsea and that they must “deliver from day one”. He has set his sights on winning and believes that his team can compete with Manchester City for trophies. He is also transforming the playing squad by reducing numbers and creating a good dynamic on the training ground. It remains to be seen if Pochettino can turn things around at Chelsea and lead them back to success.