Mauricio Pochettino is fed up with “stupid rumours” about his job and has said it is up to Chelsea’s bosses to provide clarity on his future.
Chelsea are three points below sixth-placed Manchester United with four games to play and have a growing chance of rescuing their season by qualifying for Europe after a recent upturn in form. Pochettino, who felt his side produced their best performance of his tenure when they beat Tottenham 2-0 on Thursday, is building his case to continue as head coach.
However the Argentinian, appointed on a two-year deal last summer with a club option for an extra year, has not been given any assurances that he will be at Stamford Bridge at the start of next season.
Chelsea, who host West Ham on Sunday, will review the situation at the end of the season and the uncertainty has become a bone of contention for Pochettino, whose future could depend on securing European football. He hit out at scrutiny of his work immediately after the win over Spurs and elaborated in further media briefings, pointing out that he is moving a young team in the right direction despite having to overcome a variety of complications.
“We were talking about the judgment at the end of the season, if I feel I am under scrutiny,” he said. “But to prove, after all these circumstances, that we deserve to be here next season … I say: ‘Who is going to judge me?’ I need to judge myself and all the players and of course with all the circumstances.
“But I wanted to say that it is enough with these type of rumours. If I have one more year on my contract here, and no one says nothing, suppose that I am going to be here. [We leave] only if then we finish the season and someone says to me: ‘Ciao.’
“Because we don’t know at the moment. I suppose I have one more year on my contract and that I am going to be here. But enough about the stupid rumours. You need to ask the club if they want me to keep going or not – not to write things that have no sense.”
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Chelsea were without 14 players against Spurs and their bench was packed with inexperienced academy players. Pochettino hopes that Levi Colwill and Christopher Nkunku will return against West Ham.