Raheem Sterling throws shade on Graham Potter & Frank Lampard after hailing Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea appointment

Raheem Sterling has taken a swipe at Chelsea’s previous managers following the appointment of Mauricio Pochettino as the club’s new head coach.

It was a difficult first season for Sterling, who arrived from Manchester City last summer in a £47.5 million transfer, as Chelsea finished 12th in the Premier League, while his former club retained their league title.

Sterling ended the 2022/23 campaign on nine goals from 38 appearances. During his first season at Stamford Bridge, he saw four managers in the dugout – Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, Bruno Saltor and Frank Lampard – a polar opposite environment from the stable one in Manchester.

The England international will now see the fifth walk through the doors, officially, on July 1 when Mauricio Pochettino arrives, following his appointment on a two-year contract, with a club option of a third, on Monday.

On the appointment, owners Todd Boehly, Behdad Eghbali, José E. Feliciano, Mark Walter and Hansjörg Wyss said: ‘The sporting team conducted a diligent and thoughtful process that the Board is proud of. We are delighted that Mauricio will be joining Chelsea.

“Mauricio is a world-class coach with an outstanding track record. We are all looking forward to having him on board.”

Prior to Pochettino’s arrival, Noni Madueke, who was the first Blues player to speak on the appointment, was quizzed on the Argentine’s arrival and shared his excitement of the 51-year-old taking over at Stamford Bridge.

“I think he is a good manager,” Madueke told Sky Sports. He has been in big places around the world and he was a great success in the Premier League. I am looking forward to working with and learning from him.”

Madueke’s teammate Sterling was the next to be asked about Pochettino, and in the process of praising the former Spurs and PSG boss, he threw shade at Chelsea’s previous managers, likely to be Graham Potter and Frank Lampard after arriving under Tuchel, over having ‘someone in charge’ who command ‘respect’.

“He is going to have the personality that everyone is going to respect,” Sterling said, as quoted by the Daily Telegraph. “That’s what we need. Someone in charge.”

Frank Lampard, who has completed his caretaker duties, hit out at the squad following their final day of the season draw against Newcastle United.

“Standards collectively have dropped, I can be honest about that, particularly as it’s the last game, I might not see some of them that much anymore anyway,” the 44-year-old said on Sunday.

“The standards for a club like Chelsea have to be at a maximum or you won’t be physically competitive enough. Or you won’t get to play at a high level or a high speed like the Premier League demands.”