MAURICIO POCHETTINO’S exit from Chelsea has ‘ruined the feelgood factor’ in the dressing room.
The club’s stunned players are still in shock over the head coach’s departure on Tuesday – less than 48 hours after the final game of the season.
Popular boss Pochettino left Chelsea following a meeting with co-controlling owner Behdad Eghbali and sporting director Paul Winstanley.
Even though the departure was done on amicable terms it has sent shock waves through the club.
The players were notified of the decision via a WhatsApp message from the club – but only after the news had leaked out.
Chelsea won their fifth game in a row at home to Bournemouth on Sunday which clinched sixth place in the Premier League and a return to European football.
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A Blues source told SunSport: “The players left the ground on a high and are now on a massive low.
“All the feelgood factor from the recent run of games has been wiped out in one stroke. Poch was very popular with the players.”
The recent upturn in results and performances produced an upbeat feeling among the players who were already buying into Pochtettino’s renowned man-management skills.
Just 24 hours before his exit, keeper Djordje Petrovic told SunSport how the manager was able to handle 25 different personalities and make everybody feel important.
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A source close to one senior player said: “It was a complete shock. They were such a tight group. Pochettino had a very difficult job. Rebuilding a squad is never easy and he did a great job.”
Some senior stars also went public in their support of Pochettino in light of the decision for him to go.
Even though there had been speculation his future hung in the balance, many at Chelsea were still caught off guard.
Forward Cole Palmer, who enjoyed a stellar rise under Pochettino this season, took to Instagram with a message that read: “Thank you for everything and making my dreams come true.”
It was liked by Blues’ legend John Terry – who still works as a coach at the club.
Chelsea’s iconic captain himself took to social media with a post that read: “Gutted to see @pochettino leave. I just hope hope we don’t sign or sell any players until we get a manager in.”
That message struck a different chord in relation to the bizarre transfer policy that saw Chelsea spend £1 billion on new players with Pochettino having to bed them in.
Winger Raheem Sterling and left back Marc Cucurella posted pictures with kind words for the coach who has been hailed as a ‘brilliant’ man manager by many of his squad.
Who could be the next Chelsea manager?
HERE are the seven names in the running to replace Mauricio Pochettino after his shock exit from Chelsea.
Roberto De Zerbi
The Italian left Brighton at the end of the season after a year and a half in charge. He was linked with a host of top jobs earlier in the campaign but a difficult run of results saw him fall out of contention for the likes of Liverpool. De Zerbi’s attacking, front-foot style would be popular at Stamford Bridge.
Kieran McKenna
The former Manchester United assistant has led Ipswich to back-to-back promotions from League One to the Premier League. That has seen his stock shoot through the roof and he may be tempted to jump ship for a big job.
Enzo Maresca
Maresca was Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City and has worked wonders at Leicester, settling the ship to send the Foxes back to the Premier League at the first attempt. Appointing a Pep disciple has turned Arsenal into title contenders, so it could work for Chelsea too.
Hansi Flick
Flick was one of football’s most in-demand managers after winning the Champions League with Bayern Munich. But it all went wrong in his next role becoming the first manager ever to be sacked by Germany. Now he’s ready to return and could be a smart move for the Blues
Sebastian Hoeness
Chelsea fans may not have heard of him, but Hoeness is Germany’s next big thing. Hoeness has transformed Stuttgart from relegation candidates to the second best team in the Bundesliga, finishing above Bayern Munich. Only invincible Bayer Leverkusen got in the way of a miracle.
Michel
Michel Sanchez has worked wonders with little Girona in Spain. The minnows were right in the LaLiga title race at Christmas before watching Real Madrid shoot into the distance. But they ran illustrious Catalan neighbours Barcelona all the way for second and are guaranteed a spot on the Champions League. Reports in Spain say that has caught Chelsea’s attention.
Jose Mourinho
Still adored by fans at Stamford Bridge, who never warmed to former Spurs boss Pochettino, Mourinho would be a popular pick. Winner of three Premier League with the Blues across two topsy-turvy spells, could he be the man to take Chelsea back to the top?
Pochettino and Chelsea decided to call it quits following talks on Monday and Tuesday in a review of the season.
The head coach wanted more control of future transfers and to extend the year left on his contract by a further 12 months – that was turned down.
Wideman Noni Madueke, who has come on in leaps and bounds this season, also paid tribute to the now former Chelsea boss with a blue love heart emoji on an Instagram message.
And Ukrainian Mykhailo Mudryk, for long periods of the season an erratic £62 million import from Shakhtar Donetsk last year, also made his feelings known with an image of him and Pochettino embracing.
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There were also tributes to Pochettino from striker Nicolas Jackson and midfielder Moises Caicedo – the man Chelsea paid a record £115 million for last summer.
Jackson ended up scoring 17 goals in his first season at Chelsea under Pochettino with a message that read: “love you coach.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
