MY ACCOUNT
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has questioned Chelsea’s decision to part company with Thomas Tuchel and says he did not expect Todd Boehly to be so ruthless.
Chelsea announced on Wednesday, a day after their slow start to the season continued with a 1-0 European loss to Dinamo Zagreb, that Tuchel had been relieved of his duties.
Tuchel departs Stamford Bridge having won three trophies, including just the club’s second ever Champions League, during his 20 months at the helm.
American owner Boehly has placed Tuchel’s coaching staff in temporary charge until a replacement is found.
Chelsea hired and fired managers on a regular basis during ex-owner Roman Abramovich’s successful tenure, but Carragher expected things to be different under a new regime.
“It’s a shock because I just thought the new regime at Chelsea would be different to Roman Abramovich,” Carragher told Sky Sports News.
“If Abramovich was still in charge, you’d fear for Tuchel because of what happened in the past with Jose Mourinho, Antonio Conte, Carlo Ancelotti – lots of great managers.
“But I did feel as if it might have been a different type of regime, so it’s a huge shock. It hasn’t been a great start, we get that.
“But Chelsea felt like a team who needed the transfer window to end, get the squad they wanted and give a top-quality manager a chance over the next few weeks or months.
“We’re talking six games into a season. He bought Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who made his debut last night and Wesley Fofana’s played two games.
“The idea that this team’s been put together with a lot of money spent – I understand that – pressure comes with that and Thomas Tuchel will understand that.
“But he was almost like a director of football a lot through the summer as well, he was heavily involved in bringing the players in.
“So, he should have been given more time certainly, even just the next three games which takes them up to the international break, I don’t know what the rush was right now.”
According to widespread reports, Chelsea have been given permission by Brighton and Hove Albion to speak with head coach Graham Potter.
Out-of-work bosses Mauricio Pochettino and Zinedine Zidane are also said to be under consideration by Boehly, who only took over ownership of the club at the end of May.
Potter has been widely lauded for his work at Brighton and also with former sides Swansea City and Ostersund, but Carragher has warned the Englishman about taking the job.
“It’s a very ruthless club and I’m not sure he is the right fit,” Carragher said.
“Maybe Chelsea are saying they want to do things differently in the future in terms of having a coach in charge rather than a manager.
“But if I was Graham Potter, I would find that very hard to believe that they’re going to do things differently.
“They’ve just got rid of a manager six games into the season. Of course, it’s a huge step up in his managerial career and Chelsea are still one of the top clubs.
“They are still world champions right now, but you fear for Graham Potter that he’ll be in the same boat as every other Chelsea manager has for the last 10 years.
“Unless he gets results instantly they’ll be getting themselves another new manager in 12 months.”
