The Chelsea Chronicle writers react to the news Mauricio Pochettino has been sacked, and also look ahead as to who could be the next manager of Chelsea Football Club.
Chelsea ultimately decided it was best to part ways with Mauricio Pochettino as Blues manager. It was a decision that shocked many, given the club’s resurgence and winning streak at the end of the Premier League season.
Alas, Chelsea fans must now look ahead as to who could be the next man at the helm, which is an ever-too-familiar feeling around Stamford Bridge.
The Chelsea Chronicle authors Caleb Sage, Dominic Toner and Jack Drury provide their reactions on this…
Was Chelsea agreeing to part ways with Mauricio Pochettino the right decision?
Caleb Sage
‘Chelsea will feel that the decision to part ways with Pochettino was the right one after the team failed to qualify for the Champions League, which was their main objective heading into this season.’
‘However, you could see progress under Pochettino. The team went from 12th to sixth, scored more goals than they did last term and competed in practically all of their big games.’
‘Pochettino was also getting the best out of the young players in the squad, the likes of Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson and Malo Gusto. He deserved to at least start the 2024/25 campaign and allowing him to walk is a decision that could easily come back to haunt the club.’
Dominic Toner
‘The short answer is no. When you consider that Pochettino made it all the way through a turbulent year, it feels mad that he left just two days after the final day of the season. It’s another twist on this quite chaotic ride under these owners.’
‘The turnaround in the second half of the season should have been enough to give Pochettino a second year in the dugout, but there’s no great surprise he’s not seen eye-to-eye with the hierarchy.’
Jack Drury
‘Wrong decision 100%. Feels like one driven on pure ego by those who want their own way at the top, and could seriously be about to set the project back after some good steps were taken in the late weeks of the season.’
Who do you want as the next Chelsea manager?
Caleb Sage
‘It would be great if Thomas Tuchel came back to Stamford Bridge, but that is not going to happen for obvious reasons. Everything coming out of Chelsea suggests that they want a young manager who is not going to have any complaints about the club’s structure and how things are run.’
Dominic Toner
‘First of all, it’s hard to think of an outstanding candidate. It highlights why Pochettino’s departure leaves the club in a vulnerable position. One man I’d throw out there is Ruben Amorim. If Chelsea can get him from Sporting Lisbon, perhaps it could work. This is nothing more than a gut feeling at this stage, though.’
Jack Drury
‘I want Roberto De Zerbi. I understand the risk of his personality clashing with those in senior roles at the club, but the options are scarce right now. He also has experience working with Moises Caicedo, Levi Colwill and Mykhailo Mudryk in the past.’
Who do you THINK will be the next Chelsea manager?
Caleb Sage
‘Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna or Leicester City’s Enzo Maresca. They are not the most exciting or experienced names, but considering all of the speculation surrounding the pair and Chelsea and what the Blues are looking for, everything is pointing towards one of the two.’
Dominic Toner
‘Roberto De Zerbi would be my guess. Is it a coincidence that he announced his Brighton exit this summer just days before the Pochettino news? There are Brighton connections running through the staff and playing squad at Chelsea, so De Zerbi’s arrival would be no surprise.’
Jack Drury
‘I think they may look young and inexperienced, which is why it really wouldn’t consider me if someone such as Kieran McKenna was chosen for the role. Good news for Omari Hutchinson I guess, but he’ll be up against it from the start as far as Chelsea fans go.’
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