Chelsea have confirmed the departure of Mauricio Pochettino after a single season in charge. But who will replace him? Who would be stupid and/or desperate enough to willingly work for the Todd Boehly Circus? Probably quite a few people, sadly.
Anyway. We have the latest next Chelsea manager favourites, according to Oddschecker.
10) Jose Mourinho
There will be more than a few Chelsea fans thinking a third stint would be a good idea, because a) both the previous two yielded dominant title wins, b) these youngsters need the sort of kicking he would provide and c) who better to bring back Chelsea values than the man who instilled many of them in the first place?
It feels very unlikely though given Todd Boehly and Clearlake’s commitent to do the exact opposite of Roman Abramovich. If they’re willing to consistently lose football matches to remain steadfast in that commitment, they’re not about to hire the manager who embodies the previous regime, no matter how loudly the fans chant his name.
Remember when Chelsea posted a video on social media that was no more than an announcement of a new sponsorship arrangement with Three, but sent some very wide-eyed fans into a ‘frenzy’ because it was a clear omen of Mourinho’s imminent return, according to Football.London?
9) Hansi Flick
Won all the necessary pots and pans at Bayern to sufficiently burnish the ol’ CV for any big club job but we struggle to imagine a scenario where Chelsea and Boehly represent the most appealing option available to him if and when he decides to get back in the game. Had, though, been a tentative favourite for this a while back when the job wasn’t actually available.
8) Sebastian Hoeness
Has done an outstanding job at Stuttgart, toppling Bayern Munich to finish second in the Bundesliga this season. He took them over in a similar state as Xabi Alonso did at Bayer Leverkusen and has done a job almost as impressive.
The 42-year-old is in his third job after managing Bayern’s second team and Hoffenheim.
7) Sergio Conceicao
‘Super-agent Jorge Mendes has put Porto boss Sergio Conceicao’s name forward as a potential replacement for Mauricio Pochettino,’ it says in the Mirror.
After seven seasons with Porto, Conceicao might well fancy a change. And Chelsea really do like a Portugeezer. But is he that much younger than Pochettino to necessitate a change?
6) Cesc Fabregas
If Chelsea want to follow the Bayer Leverkusen model, then appointing a rookie manager who was a silky midfielder might well be the answer. And at 37, there is an assumption that Fabregas would be more inclined than most to be a company man and work with what he is given. And he would presumably start the season with the good will of the fans. And he has to be better than Frank Lampard, right?
5) Thomas Tuchel
Available this summer with unfinished business at Stamford Bridge. Oof.
Any move for him would require a degree of introspection and humility we’re 99 per cent certain Todd Boehly does not possess. There’s also the obvious fact that if you can’t handle Pochettino – a man who maintained a civil working relationship with Daniel Levy for five years – making a few polite requests about how things might operate moving forward, then we would suggest Tuchel is very much not the manager for you.
4) Ruben Amorim
Heavily linked with Spurs pre-Ange and seemed all set for Liverpool post-Klopp. But Chelsea are very keen and might now have a clearer run than had otherwise been expected. Nothing we have seen of Amorim suggests he is an idiot, though, and Chelsea do appear to want that in their new manager.
3) Thomas Frank
Again, there’s lots to like about the idea of a manager with a proven record of bringing players through and improving them getting a chance to work with this talented if hotch-potch Chelsea squad. But again, if you’re a manager at a sensible club where your life is as serene as a Premier League manager’s ever can be, do you really want to jack it all in for a bigger club when that bigger club is run by f*ckwits? It’s a question a lot of managers may find themselves pondering over the coming days.
2) Roberto De Zerbi
Why break the Brighton habit? Well, maybe because it’s proven to be a far from successful one thus far. Graham Potter was sacked, Marc Cucurella was the worst signing of 2022, Caicedo was the worst signing of 2023 and Robert Sanchez can’t get a game over a slightly less mediocre goalkeeper.
He’s managed to remain on the ‘next manager’ lists of Manchester United, Bayern Munich as well as Chelsea despite an inauspicious 2023/24 compared to his outstanding debut campaign.
1) Kieran McKenna
Wanted by Brighton following the departure of Roberto De Zerbi but is also on Manchester United’s radar after back-to-back promotions with Ipswich Town. The highly-rated 38-year-old fits the bill as the young, talented coach Chelsea are craving to guide their youthful squad.
