‘Gaffer, Thank You’: Chelsea Star Cole Palmer Shares Farewell Message For Mauricio Pochettino

Chelsea Manager Mauricio Pochettino has parted ways as the club’s coach after a forgetful stint at Stamford Bridge. The Argentine reportedly left The Blues by mutual consent after meeting with the club’s management. Moments after he departed from the London-based club, Cole Palmer shared a post on Instagram to thank his ex-coach and wish him the best for the future.

Following a stellar season with Chelsea, Palmer was clearly disappointed with Pochettino’s exit. Uploading a picture of himself hugging the Argentine manager, the English footballer wrote, “Gaffer, thank you for everything you have done for me and making my dreams come true. All the best”.

Palmer broke into prominence playing for Manchester City in the Premier League. Having taken notice of the footballer’s talent both on and off the ball, Mauricio Pochettino joined the race to acquire the forward. As per ESPN, West Ham and Brighton were also interested in a deal for the young football star. However, The Blues were able to land the player’s signature on deadline day, September 1, last year after a bid of £25 million.

The signing of Palmer proved to be a massive success for Chelsea. The ex-Manchester City forward was the standout performer for the London-based club in the 2023-24 season. The 22-year-old talent bagged 22 goals and provided 11 assists in a stellar debut campaign. Palmer’s performances in the Blue kit saw him claim the Premier League Young Player of the Season. At just 22 years of age, Palmer became the youngest player in the competition’s history to emerge as the outright leader in combined goals and assists (33). He also earned a place in England’s national squad for the upcoming UEFA Euro 2024.

As for Pochettino, the Argentine manager left Chelsea after talks with sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, and co-controlling owner Behdad Eghbali. While there is no imminent bad blood between Pochettino and Chelsea, ESPN reported some issues in player transfers. As per their sources, the Argentine was consulted on transfer policy however he was just ‘a voice in the room’. Soon, after a string of poor performances resulted in a split in opinions developing within the club. Following a sixth-place finish in the Premier League, it was decided between both the coaching team and the club that Pochettino would no longer continue as Chelsea coach.

Under the management of Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, Chelsea have shown great ambition in transforming the club. They acquired the club from Roman Abramovich nearly two years ago and have siphoned more than £1 billion in new signings. However, considering that Chelsea will be looking for a fourth permanent manager within the same period, the club’s structure remains problematic.