New Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino reckons he has joined “the greatest team in England” over the last decade-and-a-half.
Pochettino was officially unveiled this week and is tasked with reviving a side that finished twelfth in the Premier League last season.
The Blues have won every major trophy since 2004, 21 in total.
“In the last ten, twelve, fifteen years, Chelsea is the greatest team in England,” Pochettino said.
“I know very well the Premier League and what the culture of Chelsea means. I think our fans are excited to again be on the road of trying to win.”
Pochettino, 51, failed to win a trophy in England while in charge of Southampton and then Tottenham Hotspur.
But he did win three trophies as boss of Paris Saint-Germain, including the first league title of his career.
“We are excited to work with a very young team, with a different approach than in the past,”Pochettino said.
“But I think we all need to understand that we have to work really hard and create a very good atmosphere at the training ground to build success for the team in the next few years.
“For me, it is a pleasure and honour to now be involved with Chelsea Football Club. We are so excited, and I know Chelsea very well, it is one of the greatest clubs in the world. So of course, it was easy for us to make the decision to move here.”
Pochettino is the fourth Blues manager in just a year, after owner Todd Boehly sacked Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter, before Frank Lampard was handed the reins until the end of last season.
Chelsea have been the world’s biggest spenders in that time, splurging over £600million on transfers.
Since Pochettino took over, forwards Christopher Nkunku has joined from RB Leipzig and Nicolas Jackson from Villarreal.
“From the beginning, the owners and sporting directors were very clear about the project and we were very excited to join them in this project,” Pochettino added.
“We are here to try to help the club and the fans. In the end, the most important thing in football is for them to be happy and to feel proud of us and in the way we approach games. The players need to know that.
“Of course, there are always up and downs in the history of football, but Chelsea is a club that it is impossible to have these up and downs.
“We need to be sure that we bring what the club needs to be at the top because the history of the club is to be at the top.”
Chelsea start their season against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on August 13.
“It’s going to be exciting but while it’s close, it’s also still far away,” Pochettino said.
“First, we need to meet the players, start work, then the tour in America, which is going to be unbelievable to meet all the fans. We will be ready for the first game against Liverpool, and it is going to be so exciting to have the first Premier League game at Stamford Bridge.
“We will face a team that’s very good in Liverpool, I know very well from the past. Now it’s important to visualise ourselves at Stamford Bridge.”
