LONDON-. The Argentine coach Mauricio Pochettino He said he “understands” the “frustration” of fans of Chelsea that they whistled at him recently, because the team “does not meet expectations”, although he still “believes” in the sports project launched.
“There is nothing to complain about, there is nothing to say, we understand the frustration and we accept the way they react,” said the Argentine at a press conference, when asked about the anger of some fans.
Last week Chelsea barely eliminated Leeds, from the second division, in the English Cup, before conceding three days later a draw against Brentford in the championship, where the ‘Blues’ occupy 11th position after 27 rounds.
“We must accept the criticism. We must try to improve our way of playing and the results, try to change that feeling. I hope that on Monday (against Newcastle), the fans will be behind us and help the team win the game,” Pochettino said.
Being whistled “is football. Maybe if I were a fan and was in the stands, I would behave in the same way as them, because it’s Chelsea and we don’t live up to expectations,” accepted the former Paris SG or Tottenham coach.
Pochettino arrived at Stamford Bridge at the end of an already disappointing 2022-2023 season for fans, deprived of European competitions after a 12th place finish in the Premier League.
In charge of one of the youngest squads in England, the Argentine has asked on numerous occasions for time to launch his project, with the support of the owners and their significant investment in signings.
Pochettino has suffered numerous losses throughout the season, such as those of signings Christopher Nkunku and Romeo Lavia. He currently cannot count on players like Reece James, Wesley Fofana or Ben Chilwell, all of whom are injured.
“There is always something,” commented the Argentine. “It’s very, very frustrating and disappointing because the situation never allows us to work with the full team.”
Despite this, “we must accept the circumstances” and “I truly believe that we can succeed,” he said. “Football is a matter of faith.”
FOUNTAIN: AFP
