TUCHEL UNMASKED

A great CV but Chelsea are importing a manager very much in their own image

THOMAS TUCHEL will arrive at Stamford Bridge with a reputation for rows and rucks.

The former Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-germain boss should fit in perfectly at Chelsea then.

Tuchel, 47, has a decent CV, is regarded as a good coach in Germany and has also delivered back-to-back titles in France. His reputation extends to playing exciting, attacking, high-energy football. But managing big stars has consistently been an issue.

He had very public disagreements at PSG before their patience with him ran out last month.

Tuchel has yet to reach the heights of Jurgen Klopp, his predecessor at Dortmund and he was unable to deliver the Holy Grail of European success at PSG.

Tuchel comes to Chelsea with a reputation for being a strong personality, abrasive and confrontational. But it feels as if Tuchel has yet to reach the level of being an elite coach on the biggest stage.

He took PSG to the Champions League final, six domestic trophies yet it ended badly for him in France.

The German struggled to manage the likes of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, struggled to say the right thing and upset the PSG hierarchy, first director of football Leonardo over signings and then the Qatari ownership.

That followed reports of rows at Dortmund after a high-profile fallout with former transfer chief Sven Mislintat. There were spats with striker Pierre-emerick Aubameyang (above), and he was sacked in 2017 – just three days after winning the German Cup.

His rise from barman to Bundesliga coach within nine years is fascinating. Tuchel was forced to quit as a player through injury at 24, studied business administration at university and took a part-time job in a boozer to help pay for his lessons.

His reputation as a coach established at Mainz, he followed Klopp’s path at Dortmund – but has yet to match the Liverpool manager’s success.

Chelsea have a strong German connection in their dressing room with Antonio Rudiger, Kai Havertz, Timo Werner and also exdortmund forward Christian Pulisic in the set-up.

Tuchel also knows Thiago Silva from PSG.

The reason Chelsea chose him is clear.

And they will give him the platform to build his reputation – both on and off the pitch.

TOUGH & ABRASIVE Thomas Tuchel has a reputation for big fall-outs with players and clubs