15 March 2024 , 22:52
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Mauricio Pochettino admits some of his youngsters have been struggling to take the heat at Chelsea.
So he organised a club-wide barbecue as part of his ongoing bid to transmit what is at steak when playing for the Blues.
Pochettino is no stranger to thinking outside the box for team bonding methods, once making his Tottenham players walk over hot coals during their Champions League final preparations. On Friday, he needed them for one of his favoured gatherings in a repeat of a similar event he held on his arrival at the club in July.
While discussing star signing Cole Palmer’s speedy integration at Chelsea, Pochettino said: "Not all the players have the same process in being settled at the club or to perform. The main group, the main young players … of course they struggle a little bit to deal with the pressure to play for Chelsea. That is the thing we are aware of and focusing on trying to help them in all the areas because when you have this young squad, it’s not only to help them in training.
"It’s nearly 24 hours that we are thinking about how to help. We are always thinking with the organisation here how we can make it easier for a players’ life to adapt and perform."
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When grilled on how, Pochettino said: "Today we are doing a barbecue. We use different strategies. The idea is to share between the players and all the staff are invited also.
"There are going to be 120 or 130 people. That is the most important, that the players understand what it means to be a Chelsea player, to share with people sometimes that you don’t see from the office, be all together and create a very good atmosphere.
Cole Palmer has shone but many of Pochettino's youngsters have struggled"For sure we are not going to score goals because we are going to do a barbecue but it is about communication, feeling better.
"It is not only a training ground where you come to work. It’s home and we want to create a good feeling between everyone. To get people to fight for the same thing - to win."
Pochettino’s barbecue was very well done based on the sample offering served up for journalists at Chelsea’s training ground which included Argentinian empanadas and meats. But Pochettino hopes Chelsea players will fill their boots in Sunday’s FA Cup tie against Leicester after stopping them doing so yesterday.
He smiled: "The restriction is to be responsible. I propose to do a BBQ but then there are two nutritionists who will control what they are going to eat. We drink water, orange juice, no alcohol, not to eat too much, eat protein. Green salad, no fries."