May 21st 2024.
Paul Merson was taken aback when he heard the news that Chelsea had decided to part ways with Mauricio Pochettino. The former Arsenal player expressed his disbelief, calling the decision "madness" considering the progress the team had made in the latter part of the season.
Pochettino had led Chelsea to a sixth-place finish in the Premier League, securing them a spot in European football. He also guided the team to the Carabao Cup final, where they were unfortunately defeated by Liverpool. In addition, Chelsea reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup before being knocked out by Manchester City.
The sudden departure of Pochettino means that Chelsea will now have had seven different managers in just eight years. This revolving door of managers includes the likes of Antonio Conte, Maurizio Sarri, Frank Lampard, Graham Potter, and Pochettino himself.
As the search for Pochettino's replacement begins, many high-profile names have been thrown into the mix. Among them are Julian Nagelsmann, Thomas Frank, Hansi Flick, and former Chelsea favorites Thomas Tuchel and Jose Mourinho. However, Roberto De Zerbi has emerged as the early favorite according to bookmakers, having recently left his position as head coach of Brighton.
Merson, a lifelong Chelsea supporter, shared his thoughts on the matter in a video on his Instagram page. "Just hearing the news about Pochettino, cannot believe he's gone. Cannot believe it," he said. "Whoever is making this decision... how are you going to replace a manager like him? He just got the team going, went on a great run, and got them into Europe. It's madness. I cannot, cannot, cannot believe what I'm hearing."
Another former Chelsea player, Gus Poyet, was also taken aback by the news. The Uruguayan, who won the FA Cup with Chelsea in 2000, believes this shows that "anything is possible in football."
Poyet also questioned the decision to let Pochettino go, especially considering the young and inexperienced squad he will be leaving behind. "I think before Pochettino went there, I always thought that at Chelsea you must win," he said. "But then you get a group of players that is totally different to the players that are winning the Premier League."
He went on to compare Chelsea's squad to that of Manchester City, Liverpool, and even Arsenal, noting the time and consistency it takes to build a winning team. "If you want to do that with Chelsea, with I don't know how many new players, and very young ones and most of them foreigners, it's very difficult," he said.
Poyet believed that the plan was to continue with Pochettino, but the sudden decision to part ways has left him and many others surprised. He concluded, "I don't know the reasons, but it was a big surprise today."
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