Regardless of sport, regardless of league, arguably few professional franchises around the globe, if any, have had a more disappointing effort than Chelsea in the current English Premier League campaign. And as a result, according to multiple reports, the club is set to hire its fourth manager in the past 10 months.
Former Paris St. Germain and Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino is said to be officially taking over duties from Frank Lampard after the club's final three games of the season.
It marks an incredible stretch that saw the sacking of Thomas Tuchel just six games into the season. His replacement, Graham Potter, was let go in lieu of club legend Frank Lampard after just 31 games, despite signing a five-year deal upon taking over control from Tuchel in September.
Lampard returned for his second stint as Blues boss after Potter was let go but will coach just 11 games before Pochettino is set to take over at the end of the month. Lampard was the team's "caretaker" - the equivalent of an interim tag in American sports - and was reportedly never seriously considered for the full-time role.
But many other huge names around the world were, including former Barcelona and Spanish National Team head man Luis Enrique, ex-Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann and three-time Champions League champ at Real Madrid, Zinedine Zidane.
Needless to say, Chelsea fans haven't been especially pleased with the final decision.
Julian Nagelsmann
— Flex (@Brendon_Ndlovu) May 13, 2023
Luis Enrique
Antonio Conte
Zinedine Zidane
Marcelo Biesla
Marcelo Gallardo
The list is endless and yet Chelsea still chose Poch . A certified loser . So disappointed man
No please, Tell me it's a joke, there are other coaches on the market, you can wait until the end of the season. Ancelotti, Zidane, talking to Luis Enrique again. The only thing that doesn't work is Poccetino, with all respect, Chelsea need someone bigger, with title experience.
— Hailton Soares (@HailtonSoares92) May 12, 2023
Chelsea really needs to get this decision right. It is on the verge of finishing in the bottom half of the Premier League table for the first time since 1996. And if Pochettino starts next season poorly, especially with the hundreds of millions of dollars they're expected to spend on new players this summer, the pressure on him will be intense. And no team has proven themselves more willing to pull the trigger than Chelsea.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!