Chelsea has a cultural problem. This may be news to many, but little has changed since Frank Lampard’s sacking in late January. The Blues’ second Champions League triumph in their history is something to be celebrated. It’s also nothing more than a band-aid being gently applied to a gunshot wound. The club’s hierarchy has created this toxic environment over an extended period of time. No matter how successful the team is one season, the possibility of being sacked is always looming in managers’ minds.
This may sound absurd to hear right after Chelsea won the Champions League; everything should be fine and dandy around Stamford Bridge. However, if the Blues begin to struggle next season and the possibility of missing out on the top four exists, don’t think for a second Thomas Tuchel won’t be looking over his shoulder. This isn’t to say the now-second-year manager is totally blameless either, both sides need to adapt in order to guarantee long-term prosperity.
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Any chance Chelsea has at long-term success under Thomas Tuchel depends on the two parties’ ability to change.
In Tuchel, Chelsea has one of Europe’s finest managers. The German made his former employer, Paris Saint-Germain, look silly when he lifted a trophy the Parisians could only dream of hoisting with his new club. The board is very aware of that fact, as well. Nevertheless, we’re highlighting the same group that has sacked Jose Mourinho (x2), Carlo Ancelotti and Antonio Conte. The Blues have been here before and set a precedent of sacking those top class coaches when the going got tough. Roman Abramovich demands success out of his managers, but once again we find ourselves asking, at what point does that level of achievement become unattainable? If Tuchel does not see out the end of his contract (which currently runs through 2024), we’ll have a pretty good idea.
That is if he doesn’t sour the relationship.
Many Chelsea fans were understandably hesitant to celebrate the hiring of the 47-year-old due to his history of clashing with the board. He butted heads with Dortmund’s hierarchy on numerous occasions, leading to a particularly nasty split. Those at the club noted he was a particularly difficult person to work with most of the time. Further, Tuchel seemingly never got along with his higher ups at PSG. Upon his sacking last year, the German claimed he felt more like a politician than a football coach during his time in the French capital. It’ll almost take a miracle then for him to get along with the Blues’ difficult board for an extended period of time. It’s necessary though.
It’s been smooth sailing thus far, but the waves have been relatively calm. The real test begins when the boat starts rocking and the winds begin to pick up. Together the two sides should be able to guide the ship back to shore safely, barring a doomsday scenario (basically what’s happening in north London right now). The key part in the previous sentence is the word together.
They may have pasts filled with plenty of demons, but both Chelsea and Tuchel have to change in order for this partnership to work. The trust is there now and as long as the side continues performing like this, the relationship will not be tested. During the moments where the boys start to stumble, the board needs to look back and channel the confidence it currently has in its manager. Tuchel is a world class coach and he possesses the capability to lead the Blues to the promised land time after time.
Lampard laid the foundation for continued success, it’s now Tuchel’s turn to complete the construction. Chelsea has the core it needs to build an empire in European football, it just cannot allow a fractured relationship between its key decision makers to get in the way of a dynasty. Tuchel and the Blues are perfect for one another—at least for now.
Do you think Tuchel could be the one to break the chain? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!