Mauricio Pochettino believes Chelsea fans “respect me” but is clear on why they do not “love me” as they are “not in a good position” in the Premier League.
Reaching the League Cup final is probably the only thing the Blues have given fans to shout about in the past couple of years. Indeed, last season they finished 12th in the Premier League, and they’re currently 11th.
They hammered Middlesbrough on the way to the final of the League Cup, and now face a tough task against Liverpool – the opponents that beat them in the 2021/22 final.
Despite having the chance to bring home silverware at the first time of asking, Pochettino is clear on the fact that Chelsea fans don’t yet love him, as their position in the Premier League has put a dampener on their season.
“No, no, I need to be honest with you, no, because I understand they were winning the Champions League, they won cups, the Premier League. Why are the fans going to love me after six, or seven months?” he said on Sky Sports.
“We are in a final but we are not in a good position in the table in the Premier League. I think at the moment I feel the respect from the fans, I see them on the street and they are all nice to me, but I cannot lie.”
Winning the League Cup would surely get more fans on side, but the fact the Premier League season is going so poorly leaves a sour taste for many.
While trophies are nice, most would probably prefer to be putting up a much stronger fight in the league. That said, with the Blues also still in the FA Cup, if they were to win both that and the League Cup, it would be difficult to say Pochettino had not had a successful start at Chelsea.
At the very least, there would be grounds for him to continue in his role, having made the best of the situation in front of him. It cannot be easy to have inherited a squad with so many new faces thrown together from here, there and everywhere.
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