A year in... but Tuchel plans summer moves to bridge gap

Chelsea boss has strategy for the long-term

- James Robson

THOMAS TUCHEL wants to stay for the long-haul at Chelsea — which was far from a given when he was appointed manager a year ago today.

While the German has been open about his misgivings regarding the shortness of the 18-month contract he was initially handed, he had more deep-rooted doubts about taking on one of the most powerful clubs in world football. The real uncertainty revolved around his own suitability for the job or, indeed, any job like it.

He had been chastened by his experiences at Paris Saint-Germain. Not so much his sacking over the Christmas of 2020 after back-to-back titles and a run to the Champions League Final just four months earlier. Rather, the politics that came with managing superstar players, the power struggles and his public fallout with sporting director Leonardo that contributed to his downfall.

Chelsea was seen as an experiment. If he found life in west London too similar to Paris, then, say sources close to him, he would have abandoned any ambition to manage at another elite club; he would have been happy to go back to being a “challenger” with the likes of Bayer Leverkusen.

Instead, Tuchel has found his spiritual home at Stamford Bridge, embracing the demands of Roman Abramovich to prove to himself that he is comfortable operating at this level.