GOOD OR BAD: Mauricio Pochettino sends strong warning to Chelsea stars

Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has warned his Chelsea stars that signing long-term contracts with Chelsea doesn’t guarantee a place in his team.

“If you have an eight-year contract, you need to be responsible,” Pochettino said.

“Players need to show respect, need to show commitment, need to show the performance that we expect from them. If not, they’re not going to play.

“The player cannot be upset. If we sign a player and give an eight-year contract and then the player is not going to do what we expect or what he needs to do and then he doesn’t play, it’s because of him, not because of us.

“They need to give their best and for sure if they have the talent that we assume and we paid for them, they are going to play.”

Pochettino has no intention of trying to convince any unhappy players to stay at Stamford Bridge, saying that anyone unwilling to battle for their place in the team is welcome to leave.

“Players that aren’t happy and don’t want to fight for their place, to be part of the team, playing or not playing, the door is open (to leave),” Pochettino added.

“The players have a clear idea that they need to compete for their place and then it’s the coach that is going to decide who are the best for every single game.

“It’s not that (if) we sign a player and we spend big money, that they are sure to play. I don’t tell Moises [Caicedo] or [Romeo] Lavia ‘you are going to play, (whether) you are good or bad’. It’s not like this, football.”