The Chief Football Writer for the BBC has responded to a question on whether Chelsea will sack their manager Mauricio Pochettino anytime soon.
The Argentine has been under pressure this season, especially from the Chelsea fan base who have largely turned on the manager and would not be upset to see him leave very soon.
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The Chelsea board have dug their heels in this time though and have not yet replaced him, as they have done with former managers who have not done well. Pochettino is currently, not doing well.
But will they pull the plug on him anytime soon? BBC’s Phil McNulty was asked that question yesterday via the website.
Basically, he believes that it will be on whether Chelsea manage to qualify for Europe or not this season, although he doesn’t specify which European competition, or whether it is just any of them.
Conor asked: Do you think Mauricio Pochettino will be sacked or do you think he’ll be kept despite clearly missing any European competition of worth?
Phil answered: I think whether Chelsea reach Europe will have a bearing on Pochettino’s future but surely it is time for some stability at Stamford Bridge and to give a good manager a chance to build something with some good young players and a sensible recruitment strategy? Constantly changing managers has not worked for the current regime so maybe it is time to change tack.
Some very interesting comments there.
What’s most “interesting” about these comments is that they are actually wise and that you, Simon, seem not to have noticed, lol! This commenter has said something so simple and so logical, but it feels almost revelatory set against the backdrop of Chelsea supporters with their torches and pitchforks. “…it is time for some stability at Stamford Bridge and to give a good manager a chance to build something with some good young players and a sensible recruitment strategy…” What a sensible idea! Yet, Simon Phillips (apparently playing to the disgruntled mob) holds this up “very interesting” (the mocking tone fully implied).
The contingent of Chelsea supporters who’ve never seen a problem that can’t be solved by a good sacking are absolutely ruining the club right now. They fancy themselves its beating heart, but their vehemence runs in inverse proportion to their good sense. We’ve got an experienced, proven manager working with a group so young that NO MANAGER IN THE WORLD could make them immediate winners, but a particularly loud portion of the fanbase would rather run him out of town on a rail in order to satisfy their infantile frustration rather than accept that cultivating young talent takes time.
I challenge anyone to look at the last 20 years of Chelsea football and make a reasoned case that all of the managerial changes actually helped more than they hindered the club. Go on. Do it. My case is that we’d have been better off with Mourinho for a decade and Conte for the since years since rather than have endured Abramovich’s carousel of chaos. Unfortunately, many of the club faithful are under the delusion that somehow any success we had over the last 20 years was BECAUSE of the sackings, rather than DESPITE them. It’s such an illogical, self-sabotaging attitude that it’s almost surreal, lol! It would be funny if it weren’t so sad!