Mauricio Pochettino reveals talks with Chelsea board after miserable run of results

The Blues boss is under pressure after consecutive heavy defeats
Nizaar Kinsella6 February 2024

Mauricio Pochettino has revealed a dialogue with Chelsea's owners and a meeting with Thiago Silva over his wife's social media posts.

The Argentine manager continues to have the club's backing following a disappointing 4-2 defeat at home to Wolves on Sunday but has faced heavy criticism.

Many external voices have questioned whether Pochettino is underperforming or whether the project as a whole, built around young players, is falling short.

Asked whether the owners, led by Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali, have been in touch, Pochettino said: "I received a very good text from them. We are all together in this. That's the most important and, of course, they are in contact with me and the sporting director every day.

Pochettino also called on supporters to back the team; asking for time and to leave the past ownership under Roman Abramovich behind.

He continued: "It has been difficult to explain to my wife, who was asking my why did I say this player is not good enough? He is a world champion. I said: 'no, I never said that!'

"I am a coach and I can make a mistake. Sometimes that can happen and we need to keep moving and being strong because I think we have a very good group of players, who as I keep explaining, are not performing as we expect [from the start of the season].

"As always, when the expectation is different from reality, it is difficult to get what you deserve. That's why there's impatience. Against Liverpool, it was all about what a massive failure and how bad Chelsea is.

"Liverpool just lost against Arsenal but didn't hear the same despite a similar result to when we played Liverpool. That is affecting the players because we need confidence and support.

"We need the support of our fans and to leave behind a different Chelsea. The fans need to realise this is a different situation, and we cannot send a different message, the wrong things, to the people who start thinking things that don't happen.

"That's why we need support because I know the quality of these players. I trust and believe in the players. I told them that in a meeting today. The only problem is it takes time to build a team. That's the reality we want to translate to the fans and ask them to be patient.

"There are many things we need to fix before thinking about tactics or football. But we are trying to fix all the things. We will soon be in the position the fans deserve."

He did acknowledge, however, that Chelsea are behind schedule in their rebuild. "Of course, it's a difficult job, but it is exciting. I trust we are going to win games."

Pochettino insists he is a good relationship with Thiago Silva
Chelsea FC via Getty Images

Thiago Silva's wife, Belle Silva, called for 'change' at Chelsea after back-to-back defeats while conceding four goals.

Pochettino said the issue has been addressed internally, but the conversation will remain private. "He came to me to talk to me.

"I am not going to say what we were talking about but the important thing was that he came to me. We talked but that's private and that's it. It's private and something for me to keep inside the team.

"My relationship [with him] is good. It's very good. I think it is excellent."

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