Tuchel showing there’s life after the sack
AS THE managerial fraternity reflects on another of its members getting the axe, the way Thomas Tuchel has bounced back from his last dismissal offers hope. Dumped by Paris Saint-Germain on Christmas Eve, Tuchel won the Champions League with Chelsea five months later and is now top of the English Premier League. For anyone in doubt, the German is emphatic proof that there is life after the sack. ‘Now Chelsea seems to be the perfect fit for me from day one,’ said Tuchel, who described Nuno Espirito Santo’s dismissal as Tottenham boss as ‘not good news and never nice to hear’. ‘I am super happy to be at this club and maybe this is the last per cent,’ he added. ‘If you feel happy and appreciated, everything falls into place very genuinely and you are able to produce results together. ‘I don’t know if I needed extra motivation but I wasn’t happy to be sacked at Christmas because my mission was not fulfilled. I had big plans for the Champions League campaign and to win the league again at PSG. I was hungry and on the way. It was a huge interruption. ‘But then, some weeks later, came a huge opportunity and the desire to step into this adventure was bigger than the fear and concern about the 18-month contract. ‘You need to take the adventure, be brave, courageous and I have the feeling I got a big reward.’ Tuchel modestly cited luck, the trust he has received from others — including his family and former bosses — and the team around him at Chelsea as key factors in his success. Others will have to pat Tuchel on the back for his tactical nous and man-management, which has transformed the club. The Blues now routinely meet expectations. Where required, Tuchel has shown his ability to inspire them to exceed expectations, too. Tonight, they visit Swedish outfit Malmo in the Champions League and there is little danger Tuchel’s side will be caught out. He said: ‘It’s the fifth or sixth game in a row where we are considered favourites. I like a lot how my team approaches these matches because we put in effort and intensity. We do not focus too much on the general view that we are the favourites.’