Chelsea hire fuels Poch doubts

CHELSEA are set to recruit a specialist set-piece coach for next season in a move that will raise questions over Mauricio Pochettino’s influence at Stamford Bridge. Mail Sport has been told the head coach (below) has not been involved in the recruitment process after expressing doubts last month about whether Chelsea needed specialist coaches. Chelsea have scored just six goals from set-pieces in the Premier League this season — only Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace, Burnley and Sheffield United have managed fewer — and none from indirect free-kicks. Co-owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital have invested heavily in Chelsea’s football department since their takeover two years ago, with a series of appointments including sporting directors, recruitment specialists and coach educators. Pochettino brought his own tight-knit coaching staff with him when appointed last summer, though, and appeared to question the value of specialist coaches last month. The Argentine said: ‘We have specialists. We are a coaching staff in charge of everything.’ Pochettino also appears to have limited input in Chelsea’s attempt to tie down Conor Gallagher to a new contract. After twice saying ‘no comment’ yesterday when asked if a manager should have the greatest power at a club, he said: ‘I am the head coach. My job is to coach the team. My office is always open (for the directors).’ Pochettino also sprung to the defence of Nicolas Jackson after revealing he is showing Chelsea’s £32million striker, 22, videos of goalscorers he should be trying to emulate — including today’s opponent, Brentford striker Ivan Toney. ‘He is doing fantastic,’ said Pochettino. ‘He fights, runs, wants the ball even when he made a mistake. He will never give up. In his first season in England, he is doing much better than people think.’