Pochettino ‘focused’ on current Chelsea crop, not Mount; reveals Colwill, Madueke conversation

Jason Soutar
Mauricio Pochettino with Mel C at Soccer Aid.
New Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino spoke to the media on Friday afternoon.

Mauricio Pochettino says he has “trust” in the Chelsea hierarchy but understands it is “difficult” for football owners to be patient with managers.

The Argentine head coach spoke to the media for the first time as Chelsea boss on Friday afternoon, and was obviously asked about a large variety of things, including the captaincy situation following Cesar Azpilicueta’s exit for Atletico Madrid.

2022/23 was a horrendous season for the Blues, who finished 12th in the Premier League, and Pochettino insists he is going to do his best to “coach” his new players to a successful campaign.

“We are working really hard,” the former Tottenham manager said. “I trust this football club and the owners and what I need to do is to coach, to guide them to achieve what we expect and what our fans expect.

“I’m not going to talk about the past. All of the people in Chelsea and our fans need to be positive and try to really believe.

“I’m still not trying to think of the biggest challenge. It is important to finish the squad and have a balanced squad.

“In football, it is difficult to wait. At Chelsea you need to deliver from day one.

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“We are working now in the training ground is about delivering from now, to give our best.

“Football is about today or yesterday; we cannot talk long-term. We cannot tell people we need six months, I think it is not good. We are going to have a squad of players who can deliver.”

Following Azpilicueta, Kai Havertz, Edouard Mendy, Mason Mount, N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic’s exits, there are only three players remaining at the club who started the 2021 Champions League final.

Asked about concerns over leadership in his squad, Pochettino said: “For me every single season, people can move on quick. If you do not, you are dead.

“What I found from day one, the players were very open. The attitude is amazing, we have quality and we are going to add more quality.

“I think when you finish the season you need to move. There is no point looking backwards. I am a positive person, I can always see the positive things.”

On picking a new captain, he added: “First of all we need to see the squad and I need to know and feel the players and the commitment, the character, the personality. Positive and not-so-positive. We have many players with experience.”

Nine first-team players have left the club on a permanent basis already this summer, with many more expected to follow, but Pochettino says he is not taking too much notice of the media attention.

“I think when I was outside, I was hearing different opinions about Chelsea and the squad being too big,” he continued.

“For me a fresh start and who is coming to come. I don’t think too much about that. People come in and go out.”

Pochettino refused to say he wanted to keep Mason Mount, who officially joined Manchester United this week.

“When I talk about the future, it’s about the players in the squad,” he said. “He’s a Manchester United player now.

“I don’t know what happened in the past, we need to be focused on our players and move and try to build a nice story.”

The former Spurs manager also said he has spoke to Levi Colwill and Noni Madueke, who are both at the Under-21 European Championships with England.

“We spoke yesterday with Levi and Noni,” Pochettino explained. “One I know, Noni with Tottenham and Levi I don’t know but introduced myself and wished them the best.

“Spain vs England…I wish them the best and we are waiting for them to be with the team. I think they will join us in America.”

Pochettino also confirmed that he expects to see Romelu Lukaku return for pre-season after spending last term on loan at Inter.

“Yeah (I expect him to be there), like all of the players when they arrive they come to my office to say hello,” he said. “If he is still a Chelsea player.”

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