Inside Mauricio Pochettino’s BBQ for Chelsea staff on first day at Cobham training ground

Mauricio Pochettino held a barbecue for Chelsea staff on his first day at the club’s Cobham training ground after being appointing as head coach.

The 51-year-old, along with his backroom staff, arrived on Monday morning to Cobham and was greeted by members of the club as he carried out his media duties, as well as being kitted out in Chelsea colours for the first time.

Pochettino was in high spirits and he made an opening gesture which went down well with Chelsea staff. He invited football and non-football staff for a barbecue, taking advantage of the ‘opportunity to start getting to know his new colleagues’, as revealed by Matt Law of the Daily Telegraph.

The new Chelsea head coach organised with ParrillaGauchaUK, a premier supplier of BBQ’s who host events, to feed staff members.

They tweeted: “First day of Mauricio Pochettino at Chelsea and we were delighted to cook an Asado BBQ for all the staff at this great club. Such a great atmosphere already and we cannot wait for the season to begin!”

It went down well with staff members, with one unnamed member telling The Telegraph: “It was a great touch and a really good way for the head coach to introduce himself. It was very relaxed.”

Pochettino made it clear in his opening interview of the values and culture he wants to have across the club following his arrival.

He told Chelsea’s in-house media: “It’s so important (relationships), and that is our philosophy we want to share here at Chelsea. I need to feel that you all are my staff, my people, and you need to feel I am your colleague. We need to work together, and all need to feel important.

“Football has changed in the last few years, it is important in every single area to have people with quality and the capacity to push us and myself to be better. We need leaders, not followers, in every single area and we will push every person to bring their best and give their best for the club.”

Pochettino added: ‘It’s a fantastic, really nice training ground. The most important thing is players and staff need to feel that it is our home. It’s not only a place to come to work, it’s to come here and feel like home. Our responsibility is to help create this feeling and we are fully committed to trying to create a big atmosphere where people can feel really happy to work.”