British media claim that Chelsea is back to square one after the departure of manager Mauricio Pochettino. The Blues' management and Pochettino concluded on Tuesday that it is better for their paths to part ways after one season.
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Pochettino was appointed at Chelsea last summer and achieved a sixth-place finish in the Premier League thanks to a late-season surge.
This result means the London club will be playing in Europe next season. If Manchester City wins the FA Cup final on Saturday, Chelsea will secure a Europa League spot; if Manchester United wins, they will head to the Conference League.
By then, Pochettino will no longer be on the bench. "He ultimately paid the price for clashing with Boehly's ship," writes The Guardian, referring to American club owner Todd Boehly. "Pochettino's biggest miscalculation was thinking that the manager also has a say at Chelsea."
"The yes-men around Boehly are back to square one," states the Daily Mail. "It feels like Chelsea's management is addicted to creating chaos. Maybe they have a rather peculiar urge to look foolish. It seems they derive satisfaction from doing things differently than others."
Pochettino was the fifth manager at Chelsea after Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, Bruno Saltor (interim, one match), and Frank Lampard (interim, eleven matches) since Boehly's arrival at Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2022. The American has already spent more than a billion euros on new players and coaches since the takeover.
"Boehly has made Chelsea a laughingstock, and his era of chaos continues," writes The Independent. "Just when Chelsea players felt they were on the rise under Pochettino, the Argentine has left the club by mutual consent."
The departure of Mauricio Pochettino marks another turbulent chapter in Chelsea's recent history. Appointed to stabilize and rejuvenate a squad in disarray, Pochettino's tenure, despite a commendable finish, was cut short by irreconcilable differences with the club's ownership. The late-season performance suggested potential, yet it was not enough to override the underlying tensions.
Pochettino's exit highlights a recurring theme at Chelsea under Boehly’s ownership: a high turnover of managerial appointments and substantial financial investments that have yet to yield consistent success. The promise of European football next season, dependent on the outcome of the FA Cup final, underscores the missed opportunity to build continuity and long-term progress under Pochettino.
British media have not held back in their criticism. The Guardian points out the flawed dynamics at play, where the managerial role's authority is undermined by the ownership's dominant influence. The Daily Mail echoes this sentiment, suggesting a systemic preference for disarray over stability, while The Independent laments the missed chance for growth and coherence that seemed within reach.
As Chelsea fans look ahead, the cycle of change continues, with hopes that the next managerial appointment can break this pattern of instability and lead the club to sustained success.
