I was worried to get only an 18-month deal, but then I realised they’d sack me anyway!

New boss Tuchel knows reality of life at Chelsea

CHELSEA manager Thomas Tuchel has revealed his concern that the club were only prepared to offer him an 18-month contract — but decided to accept on the basis that he will be sacked anyway if he doesn’t win trophies.

And the former Mainz, Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain coach claims that despite the layers of intrigue which can swirl around Chelsea, he is no politician.

He was told by managing director Marina Granovskaia that he needs to win trophies to keep his job — which at least means the job criteria are clear from the outset.

Asked about only receiving an 18-month contract, Tuchel said: ‘I want to be very honest with you. At first, it was a concern, a little bit like, “Oh, why 18 months?”

‘And after one minute, I thought:

“What does it change? What does it change if they gave me four-and-ahalf years and they sack me anyway?” If they are not happy with me, they will sack me anyway.

‘If they gave me four-and-a-half years and put in a clause that, when they sack me, they don’t pay me, where can I be sure that I am there four and a half years? You cannot. That is the truth at this level.

‘I don’t want to be too much of a philosopher, but where is the role right now of coaches?

‘Obviously here is different but in Germany, in France, are we in charge of the whole team, also of the transfers or not? Are we totally free in everything we do, or not? Are we only responsible for bad results, or also for good results?

Where is this role and where do we find ourselves? I decided not to worry about that too much.

‘I decided to be brave enough to take this adventure because it was absolutely clear that I want to do it and I don’t want to miss the chance. But it’s also my character to believe more in t he chances t han in the risks.

‘For me personally, there’s absolutely nothing to be afraid of. I’m very grateful to do this job at this level. I don’t want to lose my time to think about the risks.’

Tuchel is Roman Abramovich’s 13th manager since the Russian took over the club in 2003, not including Guus Hiddink’s two spells as caretaker manager.

Despite falling out with bosses at Borussia Dortmund and PSG over transfers, Tuchel insists his targets are clear at Chelsea.

Referring to Granovskaia, he said: ‘She told me very clear that if you sign for Chelsea you need to win trophies, definitely compete for trophies.

‘This club is about trophies and t his club i s about competing. The two most difficult competitions t hat you compete i n are t he Premier League and the Champions League.

‘But that is absolutely no secret. We can just admit it. On this level nobody steps into any competition to be second. Nobody.

‘For me, this is easier to talk about and set things clear than to talk around it and not be sure what everybody expects of you.

‘What everyone is looking for is a nice guy, a hard guy, a trophywinning guy — I don’t know — a good-looking guy, a funny guy. That does not exist. At some point I hope I am the guy who can be the characteristics for an era and for a certain period in this club.

‘But the demands are high and if we can fulfil everybody’s wishes I hope we do because that will mean my wishes also come true.

‘I am so far away from being a politician that you cannot imagine. I am as far away from being a politician as being a maths teacher because I was horrible at maths at school.

‘ I am a coach, I am a football coach and I have absolutely the feeling, 100 per cent, that they signed me as a football coach.

‘In a football club, I signed in for nothing else. This was the feeling from the very start of talks and this is the feeling right now.’