07 February 2024 , 06:09
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Mauricio Pochettino has told his underperforming players that he "trusts them more than ever" after receiving a vote of confidence from Chelsea's board.
The Blues suffered a humiliating 4-2 defeat at home to Wolves on Sunday, having previously been hammered 4-1 away to Liverpool last Wednesday. Those results leave Pochettino's side languishing 11th in the Premier League table, with sections of the Chelsea fan base calling for his head.
But after the Argentine was told by his superiors such as Todd Boehly that they still believe he's the right man for the job, Pochettino held a meeting with his squad ahead of Wednesday's crucial FA Cup fourth-round replay at Aston Villa. It came after Blues star Thiago Silva's wife posted on social media: "It's time to change. If you wait any longer it will be too late."
"I told the players in a meeting today that I trust you more than ever," Pochettino, 51, explained at his pre-match press conference. "I am going to support you more than ever. I am not a normal boss. I am the leader and I need to reflect in every single action that I really trust the players."
Despite Chelsea having gone through three managers - two permanent and one interim - since the club changed ownership in May 2022, Pochettino doesn't believe that putting his faith in those same players is naive. "Why is it a risk?" the former Tottenham, Southampton and Paris Saint-Germain boss asked.
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"We understand, the players understand and the club understands. If the club does what you are telling me, it is not in my hands. I trust in the players.
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Mauricio Pochettino is keeping his job - for now (Jack Thomas - WWFC/Wolves via Getty Images)"Look at all the coaches. There are too many coaches who have been sacked because they were waiting for a performance, for a result, and none arrived. They stopped work because the club decided it. I don't know why it is a risk to trust the players."
"If they don't perform, it is my responsibility and the players' responsibility always because they are on the pitch. I trust we can turn the situation around. We need to make a good connection with the fans. The fans need to understand now you go to Stamford Bridge and it's a different Chelsea, a different project, a different everything. It's our responsibility to create a connection.
"The fans need from us to see we really care about the club. I promise to every single fan that the players want to perform and want to win. The players suffer a lot when they are not performing, they feel the responsibility. They are desperate to feel the love from the fans but at the same time, they understand the situation. When you don't perform and you don't get the result, it's normal the fans should criticise us."
On Silva's situation, Pochettino added: "He came today to talk with me. We talked. It was private. And that's it."