TOMMY FUN!
He can be a terror on the touchline, but Tuchel believes in a lighter atmosphere at Chelsea these days and says: If we can’t laugh, then who can? We should be happy
TONY BANKS
WELCOME to the world of fun with Thomas Tuchel.
The Chelsea manager may look a stern figure on the touchline, berating his players and yelling for more.
But underneath, the German likes a laugh
– and he believes the lighter atmosphere around Stamford Bridge these days is helping his side.
Mind you, Tuchel is not happy that his team lost the staff football match this week, and, he joked, perhaps there is just a bit too much frivolity going around.
Tuchel, though, revealed he will not be imposing fines for turning up late for training like his predecessor Frank Lampard did.
But as for yelling at his players on the touchline, the former Borussia Dortmund coach reckons he has actually calmed down. He was far worse 10 years ago.
Whatever it does, it is working. Tuchel’s team go into today’s clash at Leeds unbeaten in their 11 matches since he took over in January.
He said, smiling: “If we don’t laugh, who can laugh? We should be happy.
“But I have lost my authority a bit. Yesterday I lost the staff match 4-3. They did not let me win. The first match I won.
“It is a lack of respect. Maybe we have to change things, not laugh too much, get back on the serious side.
“We play on a regular basis. Normal guys who like to play football. On a football pitch you learn a lot about life.
“Honeymoon period? Hopefully it lasts and we keep on winning. I’m very happy. But we cannot get lost in a honeymoon atmosphere. We have to be focused.” Lampard imposed fines of up to £20,000 if players were late for training. Tuchel is more relaxed.
He said: “I trust that people show up on time. Everybody needs to accept certain values. I’m more into values than setting rules and fines. It should be something the players take care of.
“If a player arrives at 10.01 or 9.59 I am not the police. I won’t be hanging around the window checking.”
Tuchel gave striker Timo Werner an earful during Monday night’s win over Everton but said: “It was very direct but there was no insult, it wasn’t aggressive. “Sometimes the coach is in game mode – things are not said in the most friendly way. Nobody takes things too personal.
“You should have seen me 10 years ago. I was sweating all over, attacking the fourth official, the referee, everybody on the bench. Nobody was safe.
“I have calmed down a lot. But I’m an emotional guy. I’m in game mode. I want to push the players.
Sometimes you will see me acting hysterically, sometimes sitting, reflecting.”
DM1ST
SCOTT PARKER believes Tosin Adarabioyo has all the qualities to become an England player.
But more importantly for the Fulham manager, he believes the 23-year-old’s partnership in the centre of defence with captain Joachim Andersen has all the qualities to steer his team out of relegation trouble.
Tonight at Craven Cottage, Tosin, as he likes to be called, faces his former club and seemingly champions-elect in Manchester City. Fulham captured the strong, classy centre-back from City in October for a bargain £2million – and his partnership with Andersen, on loan from Lyon, has been superb.
With them in the team Fulham conceded 19 goals in 22 games, but before they paired up it was 14 in the first six.
Tosin is eligible for Nigeria but represented England up to under-19 level. Parker said: “England can be a goal for Tosin. There are still elements where he can improve. I see that every day.
“He’s been nothing short of fantastic in his first time in this division.
“He needed to realise he’s going to be defending a lot in our team, compared to City. That’s a big transition. But over the course of this season, he is defending the box much better. For someone so young, who has progressed so quickly, it shows there is quality there.
“He’s had to learn on the job. But what determines a top player is that they learn quick and don’t make the mistakes again.
“He’s picked that up very well – that’s what gives you the hope that he can be a top-class player.”
And as for the partnership: “Tosin and Joachim complement each other – they are very intelligent players.
“They have formed a good partnership. When you look back at great teams, the central defensive partnership has always been consistent.”
City have a formidable forward line and beat Fulham 2-0 at the Etihad in December, but the Cottagers have lost only one of their last seven games and conceded only twice in that time.
Signing Tosin was a coup but Parker said: “It’s difficult for City in terms of keeping a player like Tosin. But I’ve seen that City influence in him. He’s been schooled as a ball-playing centre-half. But his defending has improved.”
PROBABLE TEAMS
FULHAM: Areola, Tete, Andersen, Adarabioyo, Aina, Decordova-Reid, Reed, Lamina, Lookman, Cavaleiro, Maja.
MANCHESTER CITY: Ederson, Cancelo, Stones, Dias, Zinchenko, Gundogan, Rodri, De Bruyne, Sterling, Jesus, Foden
REFEREE: Andre Marriner
TV: BT Sport, 8pm