This weekend’s Chelsea result was the last straw for a lot of fans. One by one, the fanbase is turning on Mauricio Pochettino as a coach.
But all of the briefings coming out of the club, from high to low, indicate he’s going nowhere. He was given a two year contract for a reason – it won’t be too expensive to sack him this summer. But it will be embarrassing for those who appointed him less than a year ago, and even more embarrassing for the ownership who would be sacking a third manager in two seasons in charge.
TeamTalk’s Fraser Gillan says that “sources” have told him Pochettino is still safe, and that his situation will only be “reassessed” in the summer.
Mark Ogden of ESPN goes even further, saying that the club will try to give their coach the start of next season to do, in the hope that he can turn things around:
“Pochettino has probably got another season, or at least the start of the next season,” Ogden told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Football Daily podcast.
“He only has a year left on his contract so the compensation would not cost a lot, but Chelsea have posted big losses so in an era where clubs need to keep losses small, they cannot afford to pay him off.
We have no reason to disbelieve any of these briefings at this point. The ownership and sporting directors are clearly going to do everything they can to hold out at least until the end of the season, and every game that passes makes that a more achievable goal, even if it is a frustrating result.
These shocking games against the likes of Burnley and Sheffield United are making it less likely that Pochettino survives long term, but not really affecting his ability to make it to the end of the season. Now we’re so close, those in charge would rather help their own PR by not making a move early.