Mauricio Pochettino opens up on surprise Chelsea exit | OneFootball

Mauricio Pochettino has admitted his surprise departure from Chelsea last summer was a mutual decision.

The current head coach of the US men's national team endured a rollercoaster year in the Chelsea dugout but inspired an excellent end to the campaign which saw them climb away from mid-table obscurity and into the Europa Conference League qualification spots.

An end-of-season review was always planned between Chelsea and Pochettino and many expected the Blues' impressive conclusion to the season to lead to a decision to continue working together, only for the Argentine to ultimately leave the club last summer.

Reflecting on his departure, Pochettino confessed the decision to leave Chelsea was not made solely by the owners as he also felt things were not working.

"I think always when something doesn't work it's better to stop and to look at different things and I think it was the best decision for both sides," the USA manager told Sky Sports News.

"Yes, I think both sides are happy to split and then to be open to see different options, and different options appear."

One issue for Pochettino was a sense of distrust from a not-insignificant portion of the fanbase who felt the Argentine was not truly committed to the club because of his famous spell in charge of London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

Pochettino was asked about Spurs during this interview and referred to the club as "we" - a choice of words which will not go down well among Blues supporters.