Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
AUBA USED TO DRIVE ME CRAZY
Tuchel: At Dortmund striker was always late & you could hear his car a mile away!
THOMAS TUCHEL has no idea how Pierre-emerick Aubameyang kept his driving licence at Borussia Dortmund after revealing his sports cars were so loud he could be heard arriving at training from “a kilometre away”.
Tuchel recounted some brilliant stories and memories of the striker from their two years together at Dortmund and is still on texting terms with the Arsenal captain.
Chelsea boss Tuchel joked how he used to organise team meetings and tell Aubameyang they started 15 minutes earlier as it was the only way he would get there on time.
Aubameyang left Dortmund to join Arsenal in January 2018 but Tuchel said: “I still don’t know how he managed to keep the driving licence in his pocket because, from the sound of the car, I don’t know if he was always on the speed limit.
“That’s him. It’s hard to be really mad with the guy because he comes with a big smile, he has a big heart and gives an excuse to everybody. You could accept to have one or two guys like this in the team.
“He was pretty much the only one who reported late, so when we wanted him to be on time, we said the meeting was 10.45am when it was 11am, so there was a good chance he would be there with everyone else.
“You could hear the car from far away. You could hear him from a kilometre away, we could prepare everything, start the video because he will arrive soon!
“Back in the days at Dortmund, it was a pure pleasure to have him in the squad. Auba was a fantastic striker, a fantastic finisher on the pitch. But more than that, he was a fantastic worker off the pitch. I think he did not miss one single training session in two years.
“It was a very reliable relationship because he delivered an unbelievable amount of goals, his speed was unique in Bundesliga and he was a crucial player. It was a pleasure to work with him, always a smile on his face and a very, very honest guy.
“He was a bit of a crazy guy, but this is nice crazy.”
Aubameyang, 31, has had a difficult season at Arsenal after being dropped for the north London derby for turning up late. He also contracted malaria and needed compassionate leave to visit his sick mother in France.
Tuchel admits he regularly texts Aubameyang and they will face each other at Stamford Bridge, but the chances of a reunion at
Chelsea seem pretty remote, even if the
Blues boss admits he is surprised his former striker has not won more silverware in his career.
When asked if he would fancy working with Aubameyang again, Tuchel said: “Well, he does not get younger, that’s the problem.
“I never had a feeling that he lacks a certain mentality when you want to win stuff. But clearly he cannot do it alone and he also needs a top squad to play in to compete for the highest level.
“But I can just say that my experiences with Auba, for two years, you could push him to the limit and he was always up for a challenge, always open to the next step. He was always open to staying hungry, was never lazy, never satisfied with one goal, two goals, always going for a third.
“He always looked to reach the next level and so I had a strong feeling that he is a real winner and you can rely on him.
“He was crucial in counter-pressing, in defending, and had a huge impact physically in the time we were together. It was a pleasure to have him.”