Chelsea owners face up to brutal Mauricio Pochettino sack decision amid £1bn transfer risk

After £1billion sunk into transfer fees and club-wide changes, a 12th-placed finish followed on by one win in the Premier League this season is not exactly how the new Chelsea project was supposed to go. There's a growing pressure and expectancy for results at the club, despite the desire for time to develop the squad further.

The man at the eye of the storm is Mauricio Pochettino, who is tasked with quelling the various stakeholders that are at odds with one another. There's the fanbase, who are still largely with him, but looking for an improvement in results in the more immediate future.

Another level to deal with is the ownership, who have talked a big game about a self-sustaining model and have tried to back it up with the purchase of £1billion worth of transfers and French club RC Strasbourg to setup the multi-club project. Their long-term view of signing talented youngsters requires time and the practice required to get it off the ground though.

Then there's the players themselves as Pochettino wrestles with the game time they can be afforded in a season without European football. The head coach must not only focus on results, but developing these players into superstars while also giving them room to make mistakes in a high stakes, results driven environment… no pressure.

To say the Chelsea job is tough in a moment of chaos as it transforms from one club to something totally fresh may well be an understatement. Results on the pitch have been poor, prompting potential sacking calls in such a short space of time for the manager.

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