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Thomas Tuchel reflects his “shock & hurt” over Chelsea’s departure.
Former Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has acknowledged that the manner in which he was dismissed from his position at Stamford Bridge startled him.
In the summer transfer window, the new Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital ownership spent a substantial amount of money on players but cut connections with their manager just days before it closed. Tuchel was a well-liked figure among Blues supporters.
Graham Potter was hand-picked as Tuchel’s replacement, with the German now back in work with Bayern Munich.
Asked about his departure from Chelsea, Tuchel confessed: “It was a shock. I felt it, strangely, when I drove to the training centre. The meeting we had felt unusual – and it turned out to be a very short meeting. It was 8am, or something, and it lasted three to five minutes. I was also not in the mood to talk longer.
“The decision had been made and, honestly, it was a shock for all of us. We had a feeling that we were in the right spot at the right time. We felt that we could achieve big things and we wanted to stay longer – it was as simple as that.
“We had big relationships, huge relationships within the staff. We still do. How long did it take me to get over? It still hurts in a way – I’m not able to see these people on a daily basis. I love this job: I have a passion for it, I can tell you
“We built an extraordinary bond in the circumstances. We started there during Covid, during Brexit – then came the change of ownership. We were a strong, strong group. It wasn’t in my hands to take this decision. I was no longer part of this group, a group that felt like a family.”
In an effort to dispel rumors that he had lost the Stamford Bridge dressing room, Tuchel continued by saying that he had gotten a lot of encouraging messages from the Chelsea team after his sudden departure.
“Yeah – and I still have a good bond with the players. We still text, there are many messages,” he said. “I have found many friends at the Chelsea training centre.
“This will not end because of a new job. It will be difficult to keep in touch and see each other but the friendships will stay.”
Tuchel has publicly expressed his desire to bring Chelsea coach Anthony Barry to Munich, and Mp3bullet Sports understands that he also looks forward to seeing attacker Kai Havertz again.