Mauricio Pochettino responds to Chelsea fans' calls for Jose Mourinho

Mauricio Pochettino has once again urged Chelsea fans to get behind him by claiming that they would not love any manager more than him in the team's current situation.

Talk of a divide between Pochettino and the fans has been rife for weeks after a number of supporters inside Stamford Bridge were heard chanting the name of former manager Jose Mourinho as part of their ongoing frustrations towards the direction of the club.

While Pochettino has acknowledged that the only way to convince fans is by winning matches, he stressed that supporters should understand the long-term nature of the project at Chelsea.

"Today is a different project," he explained. "It's a different Chelsea.

"If you are going to judge us analysing the situation comparing it with the past of Chelsea, for sure, no one is going to succeed. The fans are not going to love another coach any more [than me]. It"s a new project, and people need to understand."

Asked directly about the public support of Mourinho, Pochettino added: "I respect Jose. He's my friend and he was amazing for this club. Circumstances are circumstances. We need to keep pushing, believing in us, and accept all the things that came from the fans. Of course, I respect the fans.

"You need to ask the players. If the players believe that with another coach they'll do better, I am the first to say: 'Hey, they can go and talk with the owner and the sporting director'.

"But do you see me worried about this? No. Look, is attitude a problem? No. They [the players] are clever enough; you can see in the way they behave and everything that they are behind us. There is no doubt.

"I came here because I knew that it was going to be tough but also knew we were going to need time and belief."

Pochettino offered a defiant response when asked if he would ever step down from his position as Chelsea manager.

"No, no, no. Why? Never," he said.

READ THE LATEST CHELSEA NEWS, TRANSFER RUMOURS & GOSSIP