‘My phone is on’ – Pochettino awaits news over future

Part of the reason Chelsea’s end to the season was so impressive was the consistency it demonstrated.

Their previous longest winning run under Pochettino was just three matches. That inconsistency hampered Chelsea for much of the season and helped to explain why a late burst was needed to sneak into the top six.

The troughs of Chelsea’s rollercoaster season were so low that Pochettino admitted he could have been sacked at the start of February following heavy defeats to Liverpool and Wolves.

The second of those losses was followed by a tweet apparently aimed at the manager from Belle Silva, the wife of Thiago Silva, saying: “It’s time to change. If you wait any longer it will be too late.”

Thinking back to the moments after the 4-2 defeat to Wolves, Pochettino said: “You feel loneliness, when you feel like everyone is seeing you as if you’re guilty of something and you don’t know what’s going on.

“We were more sad. It was an unfair situation we were in. It was a situation we didn’t deserve but the result put us in a very difficult situation.”

Inconsistent results are not the only reason Pochettino’s job has come under scrutiny. Many Chelsea fans have simply been unable to look beyond his association with Tottenham, while a perceived failure to connect with the supporters has also been cited.

Pochettino has justified his restraint, saying it would have been “easy for me to arrive and start to kiss the badge,” adding he would rather create a “real feeling”.

His failure to address the supporters after Chelsea’s final-day win over Bournemouth, as well as his absence from the annual lap of appreciation, was noted.

But the manager’s celebrations after the dramatic 4-3 win over Manchester United in April were noticeable for their emotion – an example of Pochettino wanting to create a genuine connection through the team’s actions instead of mere words.

The strong end to the campaign, coupled with European qualification – something the owners were reported to have demanded – should have helped to allay fears over Pochettino’s future.

However, he once again failed to provide clarity on whether he will stay at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, saying only that his “phone is going to be on” as he awaits the outcome of Chelsea’s reported end-of-season review.

Crucially, the manager has the backing of the players. When rumours of Pochettino’s potential exit began to emerge, they were swiftly followed by reports stating how negatively that scenario would be received within the dressing room.

Speaking after the win at Brighton last week, Cole Palmer – who has emerged as Chelsea’s key player under Pochettino – said: “All the players love him – we’ve got to fight for him.”

Something also playing into Pochettino’s hands – and a factor that is often overlooked when calling for a manager’s head – are doubts over whether Chelsea could recruit anybody better.

The Argentine has more than seven years’ experience in the Premier League, took Spurs to the Champions League final and is a league winner from his time with Paris Saint-Germain.

There are very few managers available who can top that CV. Many Chelsea supporters would welcome the return of Thomas Tuchel but, despite his exit from Bayern Munich, bridges have surely been burned after his unceremonious sacking two years ago.

Pochettino is Chelsea’s best bet right now and has surely done enough to see out the second year of his contract.