Mauricio Pochettino admitted that he is yet to feel loved by Chelsea fans after a poor start to his maiden campaign at Stamford Bridge.
The former Tottenham Hotspur coach has had a rocky start as Chelsea manager, with the Blues having lost 10 Premier League games in 23 outings and presently ranking 11th in the league.
Unlike most of his predecessors at the club, including managers such as Jose Mourinho, Thomas Tuchel, and Antonio Conte, who have all been liked by the supporters, Pochettino said that he has yet to experience the affection of the fans, despite their admiration for the Argentine.
WHAT MAURICIO POCHETTINO SAID
When Sky Sports asked if he felt the love of the Blues fans, the former Paris Saint-Germain coach said, “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?
“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.”
While the club’s performance has been below par in the league, they did manage to reach the final of the Carabao Cup where they are set to face Liverpool on February 25. They also recently beat Aston Villa 3-1 to progress to the fifth round of the FA Cup.
WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?
The Blues will aim to get back to winning ways on Monday as they take on an out-of-form Crystal Palace side in the Premier League.