Why Pochettino could be Chelsea’s next manager

Chelsea Football Club is in the market for a new manager to replace Graham Potter, who left the role last month.

As it turns out, the leading candidate for the position currently is Mauricio Pochettino, an experienced coach who has worked in three of the top five European domestic leagues.

Pochettino has previously coached in the Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur and has also managed Paris Saint-Germain in France.

Although he has only won the Ligue 1 championship and French Cup so far, he is seen as a hungry and ambitious manager who has the potential to develop and become even better.

In addition to his coaching ability, Pochettino is also appreciated for his tactical nous and his track record of developing young players into major stars.

One of his most notable success stories is Harry Kane, whom he helped develop into one of the best strikers in the world during his time at Tottenham.

Chelsea’s interest in Pochettino is not new.

He has previously come under consideration for the role, most recently in January 2021 when Frank Lampard was dismissed as manager.

More importantly, Chelsea owners, Boehly and Eghbali have already interviewed him.

They met the former Argentina international defender last September and liked what they heard even if, back then, the duo still decided to pursue Potter.

Another candidate who was considered for the role but has since dropped out of contention is Julian Nagelsmann.

The German coach was previously of interest to Chelsea, but ultimately he decided that the club was not the right fit for him.

One factor that may have influenced Nagelsmann’s decision is Chelsea’s preference for a manager with leadership ability and the ability to work within the current setup at the club.

These were areas of concern for the club in relation to Nagelsmann, who had only ever coached in Germany and had been dismissed by Bayern Munich at a crucial stage of the season.

Vincent Kompany, who has just steered Burnley back to the Premier League at the first time of asking, has also been revealed as a potential contender for the role.

Although he has less experience as a coach than Pochettino or Nagelsmann, Kompany’s leadership ability and inspirational character are highly regarded by Chelsea officials.

Also, Kompany was also coached by Pep Guardiola for his final three years at City.

Chelsea see parallels with Mikel Arteta, who worked under Guardiola as his assistant at City before taking up the managerial position at Arsenal in 2019.

Luis Enrique, the former Spain national team manager, was also a candidate who was considered by Chelsea.

However, there were concerns that he had not managed a club since leaving Barcelona in 2017 and that his style of football may not be well-suited to the Premier League.

Despite their interest in Pochettino, Chelsea may face competition from other clubs for his services.

Real Madrid, for example, has previously considered him for the role of manager and could potentially be a rival bidder.

Tottenham have been linked with re-hiring their former coach for a second spell in charge as they look for a successor to Antonio Conte.

However, they have made no contact with Pochettino and are not expected to do so.

Overall, Chelsea’s search for a new manager is ongoing, and it remains to be seen who will ultimately be appointed to the role.

However, Pochettino’s experience, coaching ability, and potential for future growth make him a strong candidate for the job.