Mauricio Pochettino has admitted he’s unsure what Chelsea’s sporting directors think of his performance as manager this season.
The 52-year-old is under huge pressure having been knocked out of the FA Cup and losing 5-0 to Arsenal on Tuesday night.
Chelsea’s hopes of qualifying for Europe next season hang by a thread with six games remaining, and the Blues have now gone two consecutive seasons without silverware for the first time since 2003.
Pochettino was asked in his pre match conference if he had the trust of Lawrence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, the club’s sporting directors.
“That’s a good question for them if you have the opportunity to ask them”, he said in quotes picked up by The Standard.
“But it’s not a subjective idea of us [that we have problems], it is the reality. Okay, that is a point: if we are [considered] responsible, we are responsible.
“Maybe we are not responsible in this situation. I cannot answer the question because, to be honest, I don’t know what they are thinking.”
The former Paris Saint Germain manager also admitted he hadn’t been in contact with the club’s owners, Todd Boehly or Behdad Eghbali recently.
The Argentine accepts some criticism, but he ultimately feels Chelsea’s injury problems, structure and recruitment are all beyond his control.
“My responsibility is that the team performs”, he added.
“But of course, the club is designing and planning a structure that you need to prove works. Because of the results, you can say it’s just [the manager].
“But I don’t have the key to the club. I don’t make all the decisions here. That is to be made clear. If you say to me I have the key and this guy is here because it’s my decision, that is one thing.
“But if this is not my decision you need to judge me and judge him in his job, no? Because it’s not my direct responsibility.”
“Of course, we are always open to help in all the ways because we want the best for the club. We want the best for the sporting directors, owners, players and our fans.