New Chelsea manager, Mauricio Pochettino has declared Chelsea as the greatest team in England over the past decade or more.
Despite their recent managerial changes and a disappointing 12th-place finish last season, Chelsea’s trophy haul of 21 titles, including five Premier Leagues and two Champions Leagues since 2004, supports Pochettino’s claim.
The Argentine coach, who previously managed Southampton and Tottenham, acknowledges the club’s rich culture and is eager to lead the team to further success.
“In the last 10, 12, 15 years, Chelsea is the greatest team in England,” said former Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur boss Pochettino.
“I know very well the Premier League and what the culture of Chelsea means. I think our fans are excited to again be on the road of trying to win.”
Pochettino, who won three trophies with Paris Saint-Germain, acknowledges the challenge of working with a young team but is excited about the opportunity to contribute to the storied history of Chelsea Football Club.
“We are excited to work with a very young team, with a different approach than in the past,” he said.
“But I think we all need to understand that we have to work really hard and create a very good atmosphere at the training ground to build success for the team in the next few years.
“For me, it is a pleasure and honour to now be involved with Chelsea Football Club. We are so excited, and I know Chelsea very well, it is one of the greatest clubs in the world. So of course, it was easy for us to make the decision to move here.”
The club’s new owner, Todd Boehly, made significant changes in his first season, including substantial financial investment, while the squad also underwent significant changes with several players leaving and joining other clubs.
France striker Christopher Nkunku has arrived from RB Leipzig for £52m and Senegal forward Nicolas Jackson joined on an eight-year contract from Villarreal.
Pochettino said a “very clear project” is now in place which may take time but Chelsea still need to “be at the top”.
He added: “From the beginning, the owners and sporting directors were very clear about the project and we were very excited to join them in this project.
“We are here to try to help the club and the fans. In the end, the most important thing in football is for them to be happy and to feel proud of us and in the way we approach games. The players need to know that.
“Of course, there are always up and downs in the history of football, but Chelsea is a club that it is impossible to have these up and downs.
“We need to be sure that we bring what the club needs to be at the top because the history of the club is to be at the top.”