“Of course, he has done so much for me so I was sad. Sad for him and his coaching staff.”Todd Boehly betrayed the players and sold him without our consent
Conor Gallagher expressed his sadness for both himself and the departing manager when Chelsea and Mauricio Pochettino parted ways.
Before the 2023–24 season began, Pochettino took over at Stamford Bridge and guided Chelsea to sixth place. It was insufficient, though, as owner Todd Boehly made additional adjustments, and the Argentine left by mutual accord a few days after the championship game.
Under Pochettino, Gallagher was a constant in the squad and frequently wore the captain’s armband. With just one league game missing, he solidified his spot in England’s Euro 2024 team with five goals and seven assists.
Enzo Maresca, a former Leicester manager, has been named Chelsea’s substitute for Pochettino. Gallagher did not sugarcoat his emotions, though, when pressed about the previous management.
“I was sorry, of course, since he has done so much for me,” Gallagher remarked. “I’m sad for him and the coaching staff, but I’m also incredibly thrilled about the new manager’s arrival at Chelsea, as is everyone else.”
“I believe I have progressed much this season. I am grateful to Pochettino for everything he has done for me, including granting me trust and responsibility at Chelsea.” That puts me in a better position to contribute more to the team throughout the tournament, and I will make every effort to support England.
To be honest, all a player wants is to be believed in and trusted, and he just shown that. You do better if your manager gives you a little affection. In summary, it gives you confidence, which is what it did for me, so I just keep building on it. I owe a debt of gratitude to Pochettino for providing me with the chance to demonstrate my abilities to Chelsea last season; perhaps, I can still do better.
For the next season, Enzo Maresca will succeed Pochettino (Image: PA).
Within weeks after leaving, Pochettino was back at Stamford Bridge, captaining a World XI in the Soccer Aid charity match in support of Unicef. Looking back on his brief stay in West London, he acknowledged that he was glad to be able to take to the field again.
“We are grateful for the chance to play in the Premier League again at Chelsea and for the support we received from the owners, sporting directors, players, staff, and supporters – thank you,” he posted on Instagram.
“We strive so hard to provide you a Chelsea you can be proud of because we know how important this football club is to you all. I am really happy with the level the squad attained and the effort the players and staff put in to raise their game. They deserve a lot of praise, and I hope you saw it in their on-field performance as well.
“We always believed in this squad and that we will reach a constant level, even if we know there have been ups and downs. I think the players will only get stronger going forward as a result of this season’s experiences and the significant progress we witnessed. Working with them all has been enjoyable, and we value the close relationships we built over the last year.”
