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Chelsea are reportedly close to hiring Mauricio Pochettino as their new manager after the Blues decided to sack Graham Potter at the start of April. It has been nearly a year since Todd Boehly & Clearlake Capital took over the reins at Stamford Bridge, but it has not been a pleasant 12 months.
The owners sacked Thomas Tuchel in September and hired Graham Potter, only to let him go seven months later.
Frank Lampard has since been hired as interim boss but the club need a new direction soon after their spending spree this season. Hence, hiring Pochettino might be the perfect appointment for Chelsea, especially with Julian Nagelsmann and Luis Enrique reportedly out of the running for the job.
On that note, let's take a look at four reasons why Mauricio Pochettino will be a good fit for Chelsea.
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#4 Understands how to develop young players without compromising on quality
Tottenham Hotspur will have fond memories of Mauricio Pochettino and one of the key reasons behind the same is his ability to develop young players.
The trio of Dele Alli, Heung Min-Son, and Harry Kane thrived under the Argentine, with all three players coming to the fore under his tutelage. Kieran Trippier also turned into a world-class right-back and smoothly replaced the outgoing Kyle Walker, who felt irreplaceable at one point for Spurs. Hence, he certainly knows his way around young players, which is likely to be a huge factor behind Chelsea appointing him.
The Blues have spent big over the last 10 months, with 15 players being added to the squad, with 11 of them being under the age of 25. Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, Christian Pulisic, Armando Broja, Lewis Hall, Reece James, Conor Gallagher, and Trevoh Chalobah also fall into that age bracket.
Moreover, youngsters Levi Colwill and Ian Maatsen, amongst several other loanees, have impressed and are likely to want to fight for a spot in the squad next season.
Hence, there is a lot of young talent to hone and develop, despite the fact that there will be substantial sales as well this summer. Pochettino reportedly wants the Blues to focus on homegrown talent, and this bodes well for a club that want to build a young and hungry squad ready to win titles.
His appointment might also convince Mason Mount to sign a new deal, with Pochettino reportedly a fan of the player.
#3 Capable of making underachieving squads overperform
While Mauricio Pochettino didn't enjoy a great deal of success at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), his time at Tottenham Hotspur was far more profound as he excelled at churning out the best out of underperforming players.
The likes of Moussa Dembele, Ben Davies, Harry Winks, Moussa Sissoko, and many others improved hugely during Pochettino's reign at the club. Moreover, these players were clearly punching above their weight under the Argentine, which was clear after a decline in their form following his exit.
Chelsea, like Tottenham in 2014, have a rather young squad with some experienced stars. However, it is a squad that is hugely underachieving, given their talent and potential and their performances at their previous clubs.
The likes of Kai Havertz, Kalidou Koulibaly, Mykhailo Mudryk, Marc Cucurella, Hakim Ziyech, and Christian Pulisic have been sub-par over the last 12-18 months.
But Pochettino can certainly change this dynamic by creating systems that allow them to flourish.
Then there is also the issue of Romelu Lukaku, who has had a great second half of the season on loan at Inter Milan. The Belgian was signed for a then-club-record fee of £97.5 million but was sent out on loan this summer following a disastrous season both on and off the pitch. It is still uncertain whether he has a future at Chelsea, but using him properly could provide Pochettino with a proper number 9, something the club desperately need.
The current campaign has displayed a lack of proper use of talent at the club. Hence, Pochettino might make it one of his key objectives to turn the tide for such players and help them realize their potential as soon as possible.
#2 Has tons of Premier League experience
Mauricio Pochettino's last management job may have been in France, but it is no secret that one of his best times in the business was his five years in North London.
Tottenham Hotspur hired him in the summer of 2014 after an incredible year at Southampton in the previous campaign. During his five seasons, he helped the club finish in the top four on four occasions. To put things into context, the club only finished in the top four on two occasions in the 22 years prior to his appointment. Hence, he certainly made Spurs a force to reckon with.
Hence, Pochettino certainly knows how to build a team that can actively compete in the Premier League, something that has been amiss at Stamford Bridge this season. The Blues have not won a league title since 2017 and have since also not been in the running for it, with Manchester City and Liverpool dominating the same.
Maurizio Sarri, Frank Lampard, and Thomas Tuchel tried to change that narrative but fell short or could not maintain a title challenge for more than six months.
Pochettino's teams are far more sustainable, albeit he did not rotate his squad enough at Tottenham. But Chelsea certainly have a deep and competent squad to work with and the South American coach can help them become more consistent in the league. Getting back to the top four will be one of his priorities (should he be hired) before challenging for the league title again.
#1 Possesses the quality to win tactical battles in the big games
Mauricio Pochettino, during his time at Espanyol, Southampton, Tottenham, and PSG, did not necessarily dominate matches against any of the big teams.
However, it is worth noting that, barring PSG, none of his teams had previously won trophies or had a team of leaders. But Pochettino had his way of drilling his teams and one of the first signs of his tactical genius was Espanyol's 1-2 away victory against Pep Guardiola's Barcelona in 2009.
While he could never topple any top team with Southampton, the performances were encouraging. However, during his time at Tottenham, Pochettino's record improved quite a bit, as it should have.
During his 10 league meetings with Arsenal as Spurs boss, the men in white won four times and recorded two draws. He had a similar record against Chelsea and also recorded four victories in 10 games against Manchester United. While his side's performances against Liverpool and Man City were rather horrendous, he outsmarted Guardiola in the UCL over two legs in the 2018/19 season.
But Pochettino's tactics are rather sound and incredibly disciplined. He has the quality to maximize the quality of his full-backs and give the defense a little freedom. Similarly, he can coach consistent and efficient attacking performances while his midfield can be creative and also act as a workhorse.
He is a man driven by principles rather than systems and can adjust to the squad rather than buying players who suit his style of play. It is exactly what Chelsea need at the moment as splurging extravagant sums in the summer again is unlikely.
Moreover, as mentioned before, the Blues have a lot of potential in the squad, which is something the Argentine manager can work with.
With Pochettino the favorite for the job, Chelsea fans have plenty of reasons to be excited about his appointment, especially since there is a need to get back to the basics soon. Once that is achieved, the trophy-winning years might not be too far away.
