Pat Nevin picks next Chelsea boss but admits he could struggle like Graham Potter
Pochettino left the club this week (Picture: Getty)
Chelsea great Pat Nevin would be ‘delighted’ to see Kieran McKenna land the job at Stamford Bridge but fears he could run into the same problems Graham Potter experienced at the club.
The Blues parted ways with Mauricio Pochettino this week with Ipswich Town boss McKenna the leading contender to succeed the Argentine.
McKenna, in his first senior job in management, guided the Tractor Boys to back-to-back promotions, sealing their return to the Premier League this month after a 22-year absence.
Chelsea are eager to bring in a young coach with the 38-year-old believed to be ready to take the next step in his career.
If appointed, he will become the fourth permanent manager at the club in three-and-half years with Thomas Tuchel and Potter also shown the door in recent seasons.
Potter arrived at the club from Brighton to lead a long-term rebuild of the club but was dismissed less than seven months after his arrival in west London.
Nevin, who made over 200 appearances for the Blues, hopes the same fate doesn’t befall McKenna, who he believes must be given the time not afforded to his predecessors.
McKenna the favourite to take the Chelsea job (Picture: George Wood/Getty Images)
‘I would be delighted to see Kieran McKenna get a chance at Chelsea, I really would,’ Nevin told Metro.co.uk courtesy of Spin Genie.
‘The thing is with someone from a lower division previously, you have a lower demand from the people you work with and from what you’ve got.
‘I wouldn’t be surprised if he was pretty high on the list given he’s done so well with so little to work with and loves to work with the players he’s been given.
‘Having said that, we said the exactly the same with Potter and he didn’t get any time at all.
‘However, you can always get the young thinker with the new ideas one season and when that doesn’t work, then go straight back to the wise-old head who’s been around the block. But this time I think it will be a young outsider who has not had a lot of Premier League experience.’
Nevin backing the move for McKenna (Picture: Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Pochettino was sent packing despite a strong end to the season to finish sixth, with Europa League qualification to be confirmed should Manchester City beat Manchester United in this weekend’s FA Cup final.
The former Tottenham boss was also left to contend with a horrific list of injuries all season with his departure met with surprise and frustration from many Blues fans.
Given the sheer number of changes in the dugout since the arrival of Todd Boehly as co-owner, Nevin admits some managers will likely think twice about taking the job and will need major financial security before entering the fray.
‘Managers considering the Chelsea job will without a doubt be thinking twice, they’d be foolish not to,’ Nevin said.
‘However, when I think about it, they’d be well paid to do the Chelsea job and there’s a seriously good bunch of players there at the moment and you have to remember they are starting from a pretty low ebb, given they’ve been mid-table for most of this season and last.
‘However, there are downsides as they’d have seen what has happened before with quick sackings. I’ll tell you the first thing that manager’s ask when they go in: “What’s the package if and when I get sacked?”
‘It’s not them who ask it themselves always, it’s their lawyers and that is the first thing they do.’
Chelsea news, exclusives and analysis
Sign upPrivacy PolicyThis site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Never miss a beat throughout the season or transfer window with weekly Chelsea news updates, exclusives and analysis. Sign up to Metro.co.uk’s Club Metro newsletter