Mauricio Pochettino knows he has to win over the Chelsea fans but has insisted he’s a better manager now than he was at Tottenham.
The Argentine has arrived at Chelsea as their new manager after a disappointing start to the Todd Boehly era that saw them finish 12th.
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Pochettino was the frontrunner for the job but there were some raised eyebrows among the Chelsea supporters.
His Tottenham past did not win over the entire fanbase, who also noted that his time at their rivals lacked any silverware.
But the 51-year-old’s time at Spurs came to an end in 2019 and he has since managed Paris Saint-Germain.
And Pochettino has insisted that his spell in France has made him a better manager than what he was at Tottenham.
“I know I need to build a relationship with the fans,” he said in his first press conference as Chelsea manager. “They know me because of my past.
“I know it’s going to depend on how we approach the game.
“The team needs to be aggressive and engage with the fans.
“If we create something special and the fans feel it then it’s easy to be in the same direction.
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“If we are all together then we can compete and beat these amazing teams like Manchester City and Liverpool.”
After being pressed further, Pochettino added: “I’m by far a much better manager now.
“Experience makes you a better manager. I’m a better coach and a better person after my experience outside of the Premier League.
“This is our motivation and challenge. Every day we are trying to prove that we are right, that is part of our nature. We are competitive and we want to be better.”
Pochettino has quite the task on his hands after a shocking campaign at Stamford Bridge while there has been a huge turnover in players.
So far, 10 players have left Chelsea this summer including Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic.
And there could be more on the way with Conor Gallagher, Christian Pulisic and Callum Hudson-Odoi all potentially on their way out.
But Pochettino is unconcerned and simply wants to get out on the training pitch and see his new players in the flesh.
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“When I was outside and didn’t know anything about Chelsea, people were giving opinions about the size of the squad,” he said.
“I feel it’s a fresh start now. It happens sometimes at football clubs with players going and others arriving.
“It’s normal that the club would want to reduce the number of players but it’s not a big issue for me.”
Chelsea jet off to the United States later this month where they will face Wrexham, owned by Hollywood pair Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, in Florida.
It remains to be seen if the squad would have drastically changed more by then, though, with Moises Caicedo still being chased after being priced at more than £100million.
