What a difference three games make, hey?
The opinion on Mauricio Pochettino has changed vastly since the Arsenal game, and I am here to discuss the factors behind that.
After Chelsea got totally embarrassed by Arsenal just four games ago, I remember reading the comments on my personal Substack website (there was well over 100), and I also did polls. Over 80% of people wanted Pochettino gone, at least at the end of the season.
Now, just three games later, the opinion on my site has changed.
I carried out the latest polls on my Substack site yesterday….
If Chelsea qualify to the Europa League this season, 84% want Pochettino to stay.
If Chelsea qualify for Europa Conference League this season, 78% want Pochettino to stay.
If Chelsea do not get either, then opinions are a little more split. But still, the majority (52%) would still want Pochettino to stay.
52% have a ‘firm stance’ on Pochettino, whilst 48% are unsure/have the jury still out on him.
The huge difference after just three games is actually crazy, I wasn’t expecting it. I don’t share the change in stance as I have explained earlier this week. My opinion on anything, whether it’s a player or a manager, is never going to change that vastly after just three games (we didn’t even win one of those games). My opinion is always going to formed over the course of a much longer span of time. My opinion to want Pochettino gone in the first place happened over a long course of time up until well into the second part of this season, so my opinion to now want him to stay again, is not going to change that quick, even if yes, I AM open to changing it again. It’s important for me to always be open to anything in football, and changing opinions and admitting you were wrong, is very much a good thing – I am happy to do that, but just over the course of time and not just after three games. Emotions and over-reactions is something we ALL do, and I think when we can take a step back and look at things with more of a level-head and then admitting we were wrong, is a real gift and an important thing to do. But I’m not there yet on Pochettino.
As I always say though, I’m not here to tell any of you what to think or how to support the club you adore, NEVER. I respect all opinions, even if I am surprised by the change of mood so quickly.
I also understand it’s not as simple as being Poch in or Poch out. I’ve read the comments this week, and there are many different elements involved here. Many of you are not confident with Pochettino yet and don’t think he is the right man for this job, but the simple fact that you cannot see a better replacement than him right now, is why you are saying Poch in. That’s a huge factor behind these polls and people’s change of stance.
David Ornstein’s report basically ruling out so many potential replacements such as Ruben Amorim, has got many of you just accepting that we might as well stick with Pochettino then, because there are no better options.
If it was between sticking with Pochettino or hiring Roberto De Zerbi, a massive 90% said stick with Poch – and I agree fully with that!
Many of you are split and unsure overall, and I also fully get that. The players seem to really like him in general, he’s built a good inclusive morale in the camp, the players are certainly turning up for him right now, and the last three performances have shown really good signs.
If we see this over a longer course of time then I am fully open to giving Pochettino next season, but I am far from being there yet. We need to see consistency. There has been other periods like this where we have played very well for two or three games but then folded over in the next game. We have seen one step forward and two steps back far too often this season for me to be ready to accept that we have finally turned that corner at the this point.
But really, I do get it, I see it. Lack of options plus the rapport he has built with this group of players, I understand the flip flopping, even if it does surprise me. I’m not going to be changing my stance anytime soon though, I need to see these improvements consistently. So please respect that as I respect your stance 🙂
I do wonder though, will we see another vast change of stance once again if we go an lose the next two games, for example?
My final thought is, whatever the fan base are thinking on Pochettino, especially in my Substack community, WILL have a big effect on what the club decide to do with him this summer. Fan opinion is hugely important to the owners. It won’t be the final deciding factor, but it will be taken into account.