Chelsea attacker slams Mauricio Pochettino for his lack of trust in him, says he's open to leaving the club
Chelsea striker Armando Broja has criticized former manager Mauricio Pochettino for how he treated him during their time together. The Albanian was hardly utilized by the then Blues boss and was criticized for his body language by the Argentine.
Speaking with the Athletic, the young striker revealed he was not impressed by his management under the former Tottenham Hotspur boss. He opened up about how he felt about his body language being criticized, saying:
“A little bit [surprising] because I have been through so much with the injury and he was saying something about me needing to be more happy. I did feel like I could have had more trust and belief [from Pochettino]. I basically just got thrown into the Premier League straight away – which is tough to deal with anyway but I had no build-up.”
Broja concluded, saying:
"I have always been quite hard on myself because I expect a lot, but I have always had a really good attitude when it comes to training and games. I always try to do my best for the team; try to win. I am not a player who sulks or whinges.”
While some observers were surprised by Pochettino being dismissed from his post in west London, it seems Broja will not be too upset about his departure. The 22-year-old will now hope he can impress Enzo Maresca, who took over the hot seat at Chelsea, and become a regular for the club.
Chelsea youngster Armando Broja leaves door open to departure following poor season under Mauricio Pochettino
Chelsea striker Armando Broja has revealed that he is open to leaving the club this summer if the right chance appears this summer. The Albanian striker graduated from the club's academy but has found first-team opportunities hard to come by.
The striker made less than 20 appearances for the Blues last season, scoring two goals before going out on loan to Fulham. His lack of game time would have stung as Nicholas Jackson joined up with Senegal for AFCON in January.
Speaking with the Athletic, the 22-year-old revealed that he is open to a move to find his groove as a player, saying:
"If I need to go somewhere else to get back in my groove, then of course, I would want to do that, As a player, there is no better feeling than being on the pitch and knowing you have a club and a team who defends you; a club who allow you to make mistakes because they know you will become something. But right now, all my focus is on doing my best for Albania at the Euros.”
The Chelsea striker is currently at Euro 2024 with his country Albania and will want to have a fine tournament for his nation. A good performance at the tournament could also help him secure the game time he so desperately needs.