Poch: Players can tell owner if they want me sacked!

MAURICIO POCHETTINO says Chelsea’s players have his permission to tell the owners if they want him replaced by another manager. Jose Mourinho’s name has been chanted at games by a fanbase growing in frustration. Yet Pochettino is adamant his stars have never considered such a betrayal because they are fully behind him, as the Blues prepare to host Newcastle tonight. The Argentine is irked by the comparisons between him and Mourinho, insisting the club has changed beyond recognition since the Portuguese was in charge. This is a new project and one which requires time, according to the 52-year-old, who said: ‘Look, I respect Jose. He is my friend. He was amazing for this club. Circumstances are circumstances. You need to ask the players. If the players believe that with another coach they can do better, I am the first who says, “Look, hey”, or maybe they can talk with the owner or sporting director. ‘The players are doing everything to try to win. Is it a problem of attitude? You can see in the way that they behave that they are behind us.’ On the constant comparisons to the ‘old’ Chelsea, he added: ‘It is completely unfair, sometimes, to compare different periods of the club as the circumstances are different than in the past. ‘It is impossible to see if you are better, another is better, or now someone different can do worse or better. It is a different project. ‘Today is a different Chelsea. If you are going to judge us and analyse the situation compared to the past of Chelsea, hey, for sure, no one is going to win. ‘I came here because I knew it is going to be tough, but I always knew we would need time and belief. The project is about young players and a new team, always you need time.’ Asked if he would ever quit this project, Pochettino said: ‘No. No. No. Why? Never.’ Meanwhile, Kieran Trippier expects Euro 2024 to be his last major tournament with England — and he has already identified his replacement, Newcastle team-mate Tino Livramento. The full back will miss tonight’s trip to Chelsea with a minor calf complaint and Livramento, 21, is set to deputise, returning to the club where he spent 12 years as an academy player. ‘Tino, for such a young guy, is unbelievable,’ said Trippier. ‘He’s versatile — right back, left back, like myself. He’ll be unbelievable for Newcastle in the future, and an England right back as well.’