After officially completing their ownership of Chelsea three months ago, the club’s new owners have fired Thomas Tuchel.
Tuchel’s 100th game in charge ended in a dismal Champions League loss to Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday night, but many supporters and rivals will still be shocked by the decision.
According to Telegraph Sport, Tuchel was informed on Wednesday morning, and until a replacement is identified, Anthony Barry would likely assume interim leadership. Graham Potter is expected to be the early front-runner.
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While the defeat in Zagreb may have highlighted Chelsea’s recent slide under Tuchel, Telegraph Sport is aware that his dismissal was not solely motivated by the team’s dismal start to the season or the results.
Regardless of the loss on Tuesday night, there had been mounting doubts about Tuchel’s ability to guide the club into the future under co-controlling owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital. It is thought that this uncertainty existed whether the German team won or lost in Zagreb.
After Tuchel is replaced, Boehly and Behdad Eghbali will move rapidly to begin speaking with targets. Chelsea wants to conduct its due diligence quickly in order to select the best candidate, so it will probably contact Brighton to meet with Potter.
As well as approaching Potter, Chelsea may try to hold discussions with out-of-work duo Mauricio Pochettino and Zinedine Zidane. Benfica manager Roger Schmidt could also come under consideration.
Chelsea statement
Just minutes after informing Tuchel he had been sacked, Chelsea released a statement that read: “Chelsea Football Club has today parted company with Head Coach Thomas Tuchel.
“On behalf of everyone at Chelsea FC, the Club would like to place on record its gratitude to Thomas and his staff for all their efforts during their time with the Club. Thomas will rightly have a place in Chelsea’s history after winning the Champions League, the Super Cup and Club World Cup in his time here.
“As the new ownership group reaches 100 days since taking over the Club, and as it continues its hard work to take the club forward, the new owners believe it is the right time to make this transition.
“Chelsea’s coaching staff will take charge of the team for training and the preparation of our upcoming matches as the Club moves swiftly to appoint a new head coach.
“There will be no further comment until a new head coach appointment is made.”
Chelsea, who travel to Fulham on Saturday lunchtime, have already lost three games this season, all away from home, and were fortunate not to be beaten at Stamford Bridge by West Ham United. Sources have claimed there have been issues behind the scenes at Chelsea all summer, which Tuchel has hinted at on occasion.
Tensions with Boehly
Tuchel made it clear that he did not enjoy the extra responsibility he was given in the transfer window after Boehly and Clearlake handed him more power and a greater say on Chelsea’s business.
He has reiterated his disappointment that former technical and performance advisor Petr Cech left Stamford Bridge following the takeover and revealed on Saturday that he would not be involved in the appointment of a new sporting director
Sources have also claimed that Tuchel’s relationship with a number of Chelsea’s squad has deteriorated, while his team selections have caused surprise and, at times, frustration among players who felt they have been unfairly left out or played out of position. That appeared to be evident in Zagreb.
Despite those problems and the below-par results and performances, Tuchel’s departure will put some pressure on Boehly and Clearlake, given the 49-year-old’s popularity with supporters following the 2021 Champions League success, just four months after he had replaced Frank Lampard as head coach.
Chelsea’s fans were also impressed with the way in which Tuchel became the club’s spokesman when restrictions were placed on the club, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the sanctions imposed on former owner Roman Abramovich.
Just last month, Tuchel claimed there had been preliminary talks over extending his Chelsea contract by saying: “There are talks. But I think given the situation where we come from, and where we are in the middle of the transfer period, I think it is the very best if I focus on my team and on sports and on being competitive.
“My people talk to the owners and take care of everything else. You know how glad I am to be here and how much I like it. So it’s a good thing.”
But Tuchel has become the first managerial casualty of the new Boehly-Clearlake era, following out of Chelsea ex-chairman Bruce Buck, Marina Granovskaia, Cech and former head of international scouting Scott McLachlan, who left last Friday.
Source: telegraph.co.uk