Mauricio Pochettino's departure is not the fix Chelsea needs

The club issued a statement to "express our gratitude to Mauricio for his service this season." In his one-season stint with the London club, Pochettino had a 26-11-14 record and reached the Carabao Cup final. A sixth place finish in the Premier League was good enough to earn Europa League football for next season.

Irrespective of who the manager is, Chelsea has a spending problem. The club has spent over $1 billion since American owner Todd Bohley's takeover in May 2022. This includes a British transfer record of over $124M for Moses Caicedo from Brighton.

Exorbitant spending has not produced results. During Bohley's first season as chairman in 2022-23, the club finished 12th in the Premier League, not qualifying for any European competitions. The silver lining, however, was that the new manager would have more time on the training pitch to prepare a squad capable of competing for the Champions League places.

Instead, after his appointment in May 2023, Pochettino found himself in a dysfunctional environment off the pitch. The productivity of training was halted by an array of injuries, and he faced the reality of a young and naive dressing room. 

Wesley Fofana, a promising young center back who signed in August of 2022, tore his ACL before the start of the league season. Club captain Reese James, known for his injury history, had a hamstring injury that caused him to miss 38 of the 51 games played in 2023-24. Romeo Lavia, an over $62.7M signing from Southampton last summer, missed 28 games as well.

The players on the pitch often exhibited immaturity. For example, when up 4-0 against Everton at home, Chelsea were awarded a penalty kick. Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke attempted to take the ball from established penalty kick taker Cole Palmer, which resulted in a childish squabble on the pitch for everyone to see.

Pochettino handled it as best he could after the game. “I told the players [in the dressing room] we can’t behave in this way. I told them this is the last time I will accept this type of behavior. ... Next time they’re all out," he said at the news conference. 

The Argentine manager referred to them as "kids" that don't "really know what they're doing." However, the football club has rewarded these young footballers like Mudryk, Madueke, Jackson and Palmer, with seven to eight year contracts in attempt to comply with financial regulations. Such long-term security can breed complacency and an environment lacking accountability. 

While Pochettino likely wasn't the long-term plan for the football club anyways, he appeared a seasoned figure capable of reigning in a young squad. The new manager, reportedly younger, will find themselves in the same mess of excessive and irresponsible financial practices.

Chelsea's spending might force the club to sell academy graduates Conor Gallagher and Reece James because the full amount of their transfer fees will be considered player trading profit. With the departure of veteran and Champions League winner Thiago Silva, the club continues to get younger and less experienced. 

The threat of juvenility persists.