TODD BOEHLY has entrusted Chelsea’s crumbling season and £600 million worth of new players to a man who has never picked a team before.
First-team coach Bruno Saltor has been catapulted into the managerial hot seat in the wake of Graham Potter’s sacking and faces dugout titan Jurgen Klopp on his debut tomorrow night.
Bruno Saltor has taken charge of Chelsea following Graham Potter’s sacking
Potter was axed after the defeat to Aston Villa
Blues chairman Boehly placed backroom man Saltor in temporary charge and the Spanish rookie admits he is yet to face the challenge of selecting a starting XI.
Saltor, 42, said: “Tomorrow is going to be the first time.
“I have been coaching for four years and have been coaching under Graham.
“Obviously, he has been the manager and he always had the last word. It’s quite clear that it’s not been the case.
“I feel good. It is my duty. A duty and a responsibility. I am at a really important club and I want to try my best.”
Potter was axed on Sunday evening, barely six months into a five-year contract following a run of just four wins from 16 games and with Chelsea sinking into the bottom half of the Premier League table at the weekend.
Right-hand man Billy Reid followed Potter out of the door but the rest of the staff are staying on.
Chelsea are starting the search for a replacement but have yet to make contact with any candidates who include former Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann and Fulham boss Marco Silva.
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Saltor followed Potter to Chelsea from Brighton when he quit last September to head up a supposed new era under new American owners.
The one-time Brighton defender could fill in until the end of the season with Chelsea falling away in the league, out of both domestic cups yet in the last eight of the Champions League.
Saltor insists his working relationship and friendship with Potter is intact despite the upheaval of the last 36 hours.
He also admits the seismic decision to step in and replace his sacked pal wrecked his Sunday.
Saltor said: “I didn’t sleep a lot because it is a new situation trying to think. With a lot of things to consider, but I will sleep tonight.
“It has been really difficult, really difficult at every single level, especially emotional. You have to deal with the players and it is hard. The relationship with Graham and Billy, it is difficult to deal with that and how it affects the families. A really difficult 24 hours.
“The players will be sad because they know the level of human being that Graham is. They will take responsibility as they have done since day one. I just expect them to be next to us and supportive.
“I spoke to the owners. They’ve been very supportive. What I’m focused on is tomorrow, training today, tomorrow’s game then after that, step by step.
“It is a massive challenge. I have been coaching for just four years but I have been involved in football for 20 years. I started really early and have a lot of experience in the changing room.
“What I will try to do is help the players, guide the players because I have been in this situation before. Then I think I have got that feeling that I can help, especially young players.
“Pure admiration towards Jurgen. I cannot say anything that everyone doesn’t know. Obviously they are going through a tough season as well but they’ve got top players and we’re expecting a really aggressive game, high intensity and we need to be ready.
“I’ve got an amazing relationship and pure admiration towards Graham.
“The job of the players is to perform well and try their best in every single training session, in every single game. Tomorrow they are going to try their best and that’s what we expect of them.
Oddly, Chelsea revealed that axed Potter will ‘collaborate to facilitate a smooth transition’.
Saltor said: “I am here because Graham and the club thought it was the right step and I’m trying to help the club and trying to be the most professional I can.
“The responsibility is all of us. We are responsible and we have to keep it positive, try to focus on the next game.”
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