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Soccer

World Cup winner shares surprise over Chelsea decision to ditch Mauricio Pochettino

Ash Rose
World Cup winner shares surprise over Chelsea decision to ditch Mauricio PochettinoDarren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
The Blues sacked Argentine at the end of the season.

Chelsea will head into next season with a new man in charge following the decision to sack Mauricio Pochettino.

The Argentine endured a difficult season at Stamford Bridge but finished the campaign strongly, leading the club to sixth place, guaranteeing Europan football for the Blues. 

However, it wasn't enough for Pochettino to keep his job and has since been replaced by Leicester boss Enzo Maresca. 

Speaking to BetMGM, former Blues midfielder Emmnanel Petit has questioned the club's decision to part ways with Pochettino and suggested he should have been given more time to build on the foundations he had built. 

“I was very disappointed that Mauricio Pochettino didn’t stay on as Chelsea manager." the French World Cup winner said. 

"He had to be given more time to implement his ideas, especially as the team had really improved towards the end of the season. 

“Enzo Maresca has done a good job at Leicester but is another change what a squad as young as Chelsea’s needs? I don’t think so.

“They need stability and time for ideas to bed in, not yet another manager to work under who will have different plans and ways of doing things.

“Pochettino didn’t start very well, but Chelsea were much more what the new owners would have been looking for over the second half of the season, so it doesn’t make any sense to replace him.

“You have to look at it from a player’s perspective, they are going to have to learn so many new things again, all of which take time. You can’t expect things to just happen overnight but these new owners don’t seem to understand that. 

“Surely give Pochettino a chance to progress again at the start of next season. You’re not going to be any worse off than you would by having a new manager. You can’t say it’s a mistake because the future will decide that, but I, like many, was very surprised by the decision.”
 

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