Jamie Carragher criticized Chelsea’s decision to fire Mauricio Pochettino following a successful season, calling it “ridiculous”. The Argentine left the club by mutual consent just over a fortnight ago, following an end-of-season evaluation that left the two parties at odds on several critical issues. The review was always looming for Pochettino, with the meeting scheduled during his brief tenure at Stamford Bridge.
Many anticipated Pochettino to stay as Chelsea manager, especially after a run of five straight victories to cap his debut season with the club. The Blues finished sixth, which means they will play a qualifying tie to see if they can go to the Europa Conference League proper.
Carragher, who currently works for Sky Sports, has attacked Chelsea’s decision to break ways with Pochettino. The former Liverpool vice-captain even admitted it was the most surprised he had been all season. “That was probably the biggest shock I’ve had this season,” Carragher stated in an interview with the Metro. “I couldn’t believe it. This is a foolish decision. But it’s just another example of Chelsea’s foolish decisions.” Pochettino openly announced his departure from Chelsea for the first time earlier this week. He stated: “We recognize how important this football club is to you all, which is why we work so hard to provide you a Chelsea to be proud of.
“I am extremely delighted with the team’s performance and the way the players and staff have worked so hard to raise their standards. They deserve a lot of credit, and I hope you felt the same way about their performance on the field. “We understand there have been ups and downs, but we have always believed in this team and that we will reach a constant level. I feel that the experiences and improvements we saw this season will only make the players stronger in the future. It has been a pleasure to work with them all, and we value the deep ties we formed over the last year.”
Enzo Maresca has been chosen as Chelsea’s new head coach, succeeding Pochettino directly. football.london understands Maresca was the club’s first option throughout a lengthy search for the ideal man to lead the Blues ahead.
