Tuchel must Luk and learn – a £97m signing will always hold the aces
THOMAS TUCHEL may be spitting feathers with Romelu Lukaku – but he needs to listen.
And learn.
The Chelsea boss can brush off his star striker’s outburst as “noise we don’t need” after the frustrations of the club’s record £97million capture were aired this week.
But it’s not as simple as that. The big Belgium forward said he was unhappy that the German had chosen to use a system that does not play to his obvious strengths.
It wasn’t hinted at. He came out and said it in a public challenge of the most blatant kind – the sort most managers would cringe at.
And leave the rest of us reaching for the popcorn at the combustible spectacle that was about to unfold.
In an interview that was too honest for its own good, Lukaku also made it clear that he wanted to stay in Milan last summer. So much then for his words about a happy homecoming after signing that Stamford Bridge mega-deal.
So, yes, Lukaku’s candidness demonstrates how hollow it all is – but the reality is that the player is holding all the aces.
And Tuchel needs to smell the coffee and get with it – or else he will be toast.
Chelsea have shown, in the past, that they are not afraid of making a change to the hotseat. After all, the German found that out to his benefit when Frank Lampard was given the boot.
It doesn’t matter how big they are or how successful they’ve been –
Champions League winners, Premier
League title-winners or not – if the club starts slipping, the manager pays. It’s far easier, after all, to listen to the whines and whinges of a £97m footballer than to back the boss in whatever stance he takes.
Tuchel might be right to operate how he is – but those who took the view that Lukaku was exactly what the club needed are the ones who have forked out all that cash.
And it is far more expedient to shunt the manager into the sidings than try to stop the runaway mouth of a £97m investment from taking Chelsea off the rails.
However, it is strange. It was clear to every fan, pundit and observer out there that a striker in Lukaku’s mould was the one missing piece of the jigsaw.
Relying on Timo Werner and Kai Havertz (left) to supply the goals in big games
against quality opposition was a step too far. The Blues needed a genuine A-list goal threat – a man capable of coming up trumps against the best.
And, at the San Siro, it appeared that Lukaku was delivering.
Only we find out now that all is not as it seems. That Chelsea is not a happy camp. And Lukaku certainly isn’t a happy camper.
With Manchester City steaming ahead in the title race, Tuchel is not in a great position of strength.
So, he needs to sit down with the striker and plot a way forward.
It won’t be enough to stare down Lukaku, shove him on the subs bench and hope for the best.
The big man isn’t the Blues manager. He sits upstairs and his ruthless streak is not in question.
Tuchel is best advised to bring Lukaku back onside and find a way to get him scoring again – or else be prepared for the consequences.