Pochettino looking for Chelsea’s ‘young kids’ to step up and take center stage

Mauricio Pochettino will take charge of his first Chelsea game tomorrow night, as we take on Wrob and Wryan’s Wrexham, and it will be the first chance for all very young team to show the new head coach what they can do in a semi-competitive situation. Preseason friendlies are of course just that, friendlies in preseason meant to improve fitness levels above all else, but Pochettino’s certainly keeping an eye out for those who might show just a bit more than perfunctory effort.

“Tomorrow will be a good possibility to see the young guys to show and prove they are ready to play for a football club like us. No pressure but they need to show. [We] are working hard to build the physical condition first and after to develop a way to play and it is important to see if the young players are ready to play if they are ready to compete for a place in the future and to help the team work this season.

“It’s a good opportunity for these guys to show us if they are ready. Football is about to win to create good feelings. Even if we play a friendly tomorrow with young kids it is about the mentality.”

With Pochettino confirming that the likes of Romelu Lukaku and Hakim Ziyech have no future at the club even after the departures of nearly ten other senior first-team players, it’s especially important for the new players to take these next few weeks seriously. There are spots to be won and hearts and minds to be impressed — even if another player or two might come in before the summer’s all said and done.

“We are still working in the process to finish the squad. We are working really hard. We have a very young squad also but I think the players are showing commitment and working so well. We are so happy with the way they are working. We need to work during this pre-season to build a really strong squad first and then to evolve in the way we want to play and to apply the concept we expect from them.

“[It is] an exciting moment trying to help the club to build a different way to operate. Of course, we are confident we are a good squad and ready to compete for big things. [...] I think we have leaders with experience and leadership in the squad. [They] have personality and in the squad some experienced players can be reference for the younger. Then the younger have the responsibility and personality and character to play under pressure for a club like Chelsea. I am not worried about that. It is also our responsibility to share this leadership with them. We need to orientate and guide them to act in different situations.

“[We] came here to help the players, other stuff also and to build together a philosophy for the future work and then to bring the success that the club deserves. [...] Tomorrow we start the competition, start to compete and they need to speak there on the pitch.”

-Mauricio Pochettino; source: Football.London

Let’s get to it!

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