“He walked into an incredibly tough changing room” - Wolves boss Gary O’Neil makes Chelsea prediction for next season after Pochettino exit

Wolverhampton boss Gary O'Neil has voiced his opinion on Mauricio Pochettino's departure from Chelsea. O'Neil believes that the Blues will come back stronger next season despite the Argentine manager leaving the club.

Having joined the club at the start of the 2023-24 season, Pochettino parted ways with Chelsea after guiding them to a strong sixth-place finish. According to The Telegraph, Pochettino left the club by "mutual consent" after having discussions with sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, and co-controlling owner Behdad Eghbali. It was also reported that there persists no bad blood between either party.

Following Pochettino's departure, Wolves manager Gary O'Neil voiced his surprise at the decision, noting that Pochettino had a solid first year with the Blues. Nonetheless, O'Neil predicted that the Blues will be "very strong" next season under new leadership. He told Sky Sports:

"You talk about tough jobs and what I walked into at Wolves. But he walked into an incredibly tough changing room with so many players that had been signed and trying to keep them united. Was obviously going to take time."

Addressing Chelsea's future without the Argentine manager, O'Neil added:

"Really good club, special club Chelsea, one of the biggest in London. I’m sure they’ll find a good replacement. I expect them to be very strong next year."

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Gary O'Neil surprised over Mauricio Pochettino leaving Chelsea

A series of five consecutive victories towards the end of the season secured European qualification for the Blues under Pochettino's leadership. He also guided the team to the Carabao Cup final and the FA Cup semi-final.

Reflecting on these achievements, the Wolves boss told the aforementioned report:

“I’m really, really surprised. I thought, especially the way they finished the season, they looked like a good side. It seemed like they started to gain some momentum."

Speaking of Mauricio Pochettino's future, O'Neil predicted:

“Yeah, good manager. I expect Mauricio to find another good job and show what a great manager he is.”

The departure of Pochettino is a notable development in the ongoing saga of managerial changes at Chelsea. He is the third permanent head coach to leave the club under the Clearlake Capital-Boehly ownership, following Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter.

This turnover has been rapid, with Bruno Saltor managing the West London club for one game last season before Frank Lampard took interim charge, marking a total of five managers in just two years.