- Mauricio Pochettino made Nicolas Jackson do extra running for his suspension
- The Chelsea boss is himself banned for this weekend’s match against Newcastle
- CHRIS SUTTON: Everton players must keep their heads – It’s All Kicking Off
Mauricio Pochettino has admitted it’s one rule for him and one rule for his players when it comes to falling foul of the law.
Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson revealed this week how Pochettino forced him to do extra running as punishment for a ban.
Jackson was hit with a one-match suspension for picking up five yellow cards in his first six Premier League games.
And he was despatched to do gruelling extra laps of the training ground as a result by Chelsea’s taskmaster manager.
Jackson said: ‘One day I was running I didn’t know why. They just called me out to run. It was laps, really hard, the intensity, then I was lying down when I finished.
‘The coach spoke to me and told me to be careful. When you show a card, you get a yellow card. I’m planning to change that.’
But Pochettino is serving a touchline ban himself against Newcastle on Saturday after being booked for having a go at the referee in matches against Brighton, Burnley and Manchester City this season.
And the Chelsea boss joked that he has chosen a different punishment to the one he meted out to Jackson.
Pochettino said: ‘He needed to run! And for me? I am going to pay for a dinner.
‘I am going to pay for a dinner because I get suspended now. Because I cannot run… I would prefer to pay!
‘I am taking the players and staff out for a barbecue. It will be a lot!’
Pochettino also revealed how he has vowed to get tough with Cole Palmer – to push him out of his comfort zone.
Palmer, who has been involved in six goals in his past five league games, played for England against Malta and North Macedonia.
But Pochettino wants to keep him grounded, saying: ‘It’s about pushing them to keep outside of their comfort zone.
‘After playing a few games well, because we are only human beings, we find this comfortable zone.
‘So our responsibility is to push him every day to the uncomfortable zone – and being tough with the players.’
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
