Joe Cole claims Chelsea boss Pochettino has the 'hardest job in world football'

Joe Cole believes Mauricio Pochettino has the 'hardest job in world football' and urged is former club to stick with the current boss.

The Argentine has been under immense pressure this season, as Chelsea have struggled for consistency despite over having a playing squad that's had over £1 billion worth of talent injected into it.

He has led the club to the Carabao Cup Final and an FA Cup Semi-final, but they remain 9th in the Premier League and are still an outside bet for a European spot at the end of the campaign.

However, speaking on TNT Sport before the Blues clash with Aston Villa, Cole hailed the job Pochettino has done in the circumstances and labelled the Chelsea post as football's most difficult job.

'Is he blameless? Like Chelsea, are not where they want to be,' Cole said.

'That's a fact, you know, not where they should be. With the money that they've spent and the players that have come in and out the door, I think Mauricio is doing a fantastic job.

'I think he's got the hardest job in world football, because I think it's clear that it's not in complete control of ins and outs coming in. That's for sure.

'Expectations are massive and rightly so, because that's what they used to the last 20 years, Chelsea had been as good as as good as any club in Europe, barring probably Real Madrid, in terms of winning trophies that are competing in this league. S

So they just need to stick with him and move forward. Changing managers, I promise you, is not the right way to go.'

Chelsea went into Saturday's clash with Aston Villa six points behind Newcastle in the last remaining European spot, but still smarting from the 5-0 thrashing they got from London rivals Arsenal in midweek.

Yet, Cole's fellow pundit - former Blues boss Glenn Hoddle - agrees that the club have to stick with the current manager and he has to be given time to find a spine to the team next season.

Hoddle said: 'I think there's disappointment. They've got to semifinal. They got to a final. As I said, at times they look right. They look more than okay against the top teams in the league. That consistency isn't there yet.

'I think he's got to be given more time to achieve that next season. And I think it's a big season for him. Obviously he's got to start well, but I think if he gets his players back fit players, youngsters would have learned from this experience and find out what his strongest five or six players are, that you need a spine.

'And I don't think he's really found that this season that will help him, if they stay fit and then he can field around that.

But this is a bit of a rebuild in many ways, and I think he's got to be given more time, without a doubt.'

Owner Todd Boehly invested heavily in the squad again last summer, making big money deals for Nicolas Jackson, Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia and Christopher Nkunku.

All of which have so far failed to live up to their price tag, with only £40 million signing Cole Palmer proving to be the club's best bit of business.