- 20 hours ago
Tuchel prepares for DREAM Chelsea return as Blues set to sack Pochettino
Robin Bairner
- 6 Mar 2024 05:40 CST
- 4 min read
Former Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel is eyeing a dream return to the club, according to a report.
Mauricio Pochettino is under fire at Stamford Bridge and there could well be a change of management in the summer.
Indeed, it appears that Chelsea are preparing to sack the former Tottenham and PSG manager, who is under contract until June 2025 with the option of an additional 12 months. Already, there is a shortlist drawn up of two men to replace the Argentine.
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Tuchel, though, is not one of the names on it. Instead, Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi and Sporting CP are the leading candidates for the post.
That is not about to stop the German from throwing his name into the hat barely 18 months after being unceremoniously sacked by the club shortly after the arrival of new owner Todd Boehly.
Bild reports that Tuchel is dreaming of a Stamford Bridge return.
What is certain is that the 50-year-old will be out of work in the summer, with his departure from Bayern already activated after a disappointing campaign that is set to see FCB miss out on the Bundesliga title after winning 11 straight.
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Tuchel’s impressive Chelsea record
While this has tarnished his reputation, what is unquestionable is that Tuchel is one of Chelsea’s best-performing managers of the last decade.
His previous spell saw him guide the club from January 2021 until September 2022, posting a win percentage of 60%.
Chelsea managers since 2011
| Manager | Dates | Matches | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andre Villas-Boas | Jun 11 - Mar 12 | 40 | 48 |
| Roberto Di Matteo | Mar 12 - Nov 12 | 42 | 57 |
| Rafa Benitez | Nov 12 - May 13 | 48 | 58 |
| Jose Mourinho | Jun 13 - Dec 15 | 136 | 59 |
| Guus Hiddink* | Dec 15 - Jun 16 | 27 | 37 |
| Antonio Conte | Jul 16 - Jul 18 | 106 | 65 |
| Maurizio Sarri | Jul 18 - Jun 19 | 63 | 62 |
| Frank Lampard | Jul 19 - Jan 21 | 84 | 52 |
| Thomas Tuchel | Jan 21 - Sep 22 | 100 | 60 |
| Graham Potter | Sep 22 - Apr 23 | 31 | 39 |
| Frank Lampard* | Apr 23 - May 23 | 11 | 9 |
| Mauricio Pochettino | Jul 23 - present | 37 | 46 |
*interim manager who took charge of more than 10 games
Graham Potter subsequently mustered only 39% and Pochettino is little better on 46%.
Indeed, the only full-time Chelsea managers to achieve a superior number since Carlo Ancelotti let in 2011 are Antonio Conte (65%) and Mauricio Sarri (62%).
Whether Boehly would be willing to welcome the notoriously frosty Tuchel back to Chelsea, however, is another issue.
