Inside the final talks – and a shock request – that led to Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea exit… as sources reveal he wouldn’t follow their ‘puppet’ strategy amid a struggle for power

At the end of his final press conference as Chelsea head coach, Mauricio Pochettino paused before leaving to speak to the journalists who regularly cover the club.

“Thank you for everything,” he told us after beating Bournemouth on Sunday to end the season with a fifth win in a row. ‘I apologize if on some days I was not at the level you expected of me.’

Nice guy, Pochettino, but as we know they tend to finish last. The 52-year-old Argentinian is not the first coach to discover the dizzying heights of standard demanded at Chelsea, nor may he be the last to learn what can happen when you don’t meet the minimum requirements to compete for the Premier League. or at least qualifying for the Champions League.

Pochettino has never hidden his desire for more power at Chelsea. A source close to the former Tottenham manager has described how he said during two days of talks with the club’s hierarchy on Monday and Tuesday that he was unhappy with the fact that he had just one year left on his contract. It was suggested that they would commit to allowing him another year on top of that so he could start the next campaign with ‘stability and security’. That was rejected.

As does the suggestion that he should have more control over the signings. That was a source of friction during his season in charge, with Pochettino calling for a focus on experience – an approach that runs counter to their strategy of sweeping away the game’s brightest stars.

It appears the club’s co-owners, Todd Boehly (left) and Behdad Eghbali (right), had also rejected the Argentine’s requests for a contract extension

Pochettino (pictured) was aggravated by the potential sale of Conor Gallagher and Trevoh Chalobah

Already compounded by the potential sale of Conor Gallagher or Trevoh Chalobah – two homegrown players who have performed well under him but would represent pure profit in the transfer market – it was unlikely he would ever win.

Perhaps the most telling insight we got into Pochettino’s limited power came when he dismissed the idea of ​​adding a set-piece coach to his entourage after being asked by Mail Sport, only to have the club plan to create an entire department dedicated to that crucial task. part of the game when they hired Brentford guru Bernardo Cueva.

Insiders have claimed that the hierarchy want a ‘head coach’ who will focus on improving the players put at his disposal, as opposed to a ‘manager’ who will interfere with other sides of the business. A source who disagreed with Pochettino’s departure on Tuesday night described it as a ‘puppet’, although it is apparently a strategy that Chelsea believe will give them the best route to football domination after their multi-billion dollar spend on transfers.

There is an argument that Pochettino has done well to last this long. Some sources suggest Roman Abramovich would have moved much sooner, especially after losing 4-2 at home to Wolves in February. At that point a change was considered and Pochettino feared for his job, but the decision was made to wait until the end-of-season review as planned. Even an improvement in form after the defeat to Wolves – one defeat in their next 15 Premier League games to secure European football – was not enough to save Pochettino once they sat down to discuss their differences.

After a difficult start to the season, Pochettino has turned things around for Chelsea

It is understood sporting directors Paul Winstanley (left) and Laurence Stewart (right) carried out a review of Pochettino’s performance, with all parties agreeing a split was best

The Argentine shook hands with Blues executives after an ‘amicable’ exit was agreed

Pochettino could arrange a plan to revisit their training ground in Cobham to say goodbye

It was around lunchtime on Tuesday that Pochettino shook hands following a separation described as ‘amicable’ and ‘respectful’. He was told that he will be welcomed to Stamford Bridge whenever he wants. That could happen as early as June 9, when Pochettino is expected to manage one of the two teams taking part in the Soccer Aid match at the stadium.

He could devise a plan to revisit their training ground in Cobham in the future to say goodbye to his players in a more appropriate manner. Many of Pochettino’s sessions focused on fitness, leading to accusations that he was contributing to their crippling injury list. He disputed that, citing the fact he was never even given the chance to train with Romeo Lavia, on a summer contract worth £58 million.

Tuesday night’s news will not cause celebrations from the majority of the squad, some of whom have labeled Pochettino the ‘best’ man-manager they have ever come across, as Noni Madueke, Mykhailo Mudryk, Cole Palmer and others expressed on Instagram expressed their gratitude.

Say what you will about his tactics, they embraced his ideas for creating a homely and harmonious culture in Cobham. That included organizing a team-bonding BBQ at the training ground in March, allowing the squad to interact with many members of the club’s staff who they don’t normally see. Pochettino surprised journalists who had attended his press conference that day by re-entering with plates of sausages and steaks, insisting this was not a bribe for better copy in his favor. In a tank full of sharks, he could be one of the Premier League’s more pleasant characters. He was even due to enter the media room less than an hour before kick-off against Bournemouth to say goodbye to Brian Pullman, the press steward who was retiring after 56 years. of service.

It is that thoughtful side of his man-management that will be missed by Chelsea’s players, who appreciated the arm he put around him during the difficult stages of the season.

The Argentinian’s thoughtful man-management style will be missed by Chelsea’s players

He becomes the third permanent Chelsea manager to be sacked by the new owners, after Thomas Tuchel (left) and Graham Potter (right)

The turnover of coaches has led to at least one player questioning whether this is the right club for them

Pochettino’s ultimate successor will have to be prepared to give Chelsea immediate success if they want to stay for more than one season

Pochettino was always going to struggle to win over the Chelsea fanbase given his connection with their arch-rivals Tottenham. He reminded us more than once that he risked his own reputation by taking over at Stamford Bridge. But from the players’ perspective, they maintained their belief in him until the very end. One even made that point to journalists as he stood on the pitch after completing the round of appreciation after the win over Bournemouth.

On Tuesday evening, Mail Sport spoke to a star’s representative who described his client as devastated by the departure, adding that he discovered it had happened at the same time as the rest of the world – once it became known on social media. Worryingly, the turnover of coaches has led to at least one player questioning whether this is what he signed up for, considering the club has been managed by five different men in the past two seasons alone.

Now a sixth is coming in. Whoever that is – whether it’s Ipswich’s Kieran McKenna, Stuttgart’s Sebastian Hoeness, Girona’s Michel or anyone else who fits the ‘young and progressive’ mold that sources say they want – the candidate will have to be prepared to deliver immediate success to Chelsea if he wants to stay. beyond one season like Pochettino.