OUT ON HIS TOD

Pochettino exits despite being wined and dined by Boehly

- Alan Smith

STABILITY was the word used by Todd Boehly when discussing Chelsea at a business conference in Qatar a week ago today.

Later that evening, Mauricio Pochettino navigated a young but improving team to a fourth straight win that all but sealed European football after a season away.

By Friday, Boehly, below, was wining and dining Pochettino, who later reflected: "If I invite you along, and you and me have dinner, it's not for bad things."

Except the brief statement detailing Pochettino's departure after less than a year at Stamford Bridge was instructive because, well, there was no mention of Boehly.

The decision to part ways with Pochettino came following two days of meetings held by co-owner Behdad Eghbali and sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley.