Tuchel and Chelsea a ‘marriage made in hell’ says former Blues striker

Martin Macdonald

• Updated: 23 May 2023 08:45 CDT
• 2 min read

Former Chelsea striker Pat Nevin believes the proposed union between the club and incoming manager Thomas Tuchel could prove to be a “marriage made in hell”.

On Monday, the Blues sacked Frank Lampard after a shocking run of form which saw them drop down to ninth in the Premier League table.

The dismissal of the iconic Chelsea player came after he spent over £220m in the transfer market.

Though no official announcement has been made on a successor, it is generally believed that a deal has already been done to bring in former Dortmund and PSG boss Tuchel, who is available after being sacked by the Ligue 1 champions in December, with Mauricio Pochettino taking over that role.

Tuchel has a reputation as a fine coach, but with that also comes a reputation for falling out with club hierarchies in the past. His frosty relationship with PSG sporting director Leonardo was believed to be a key factor in him eventually losing his job.

There are suggestions that Tuchel coming in to work under the notoriously trigger-happy Roman Abramovich simply won’t work.

Nevin recognises this might be the case.

It does sound like a marriage made in hell,” he said on Off The Ball with regards to Tuchel potentially taking over.

“But that doesn’t mean it won’t work. There’s every chance.

“I thought [Jose] Mourinho going to Spurs was a marriage made in hell. The two personalities are going to absolutely explode, one day.”

The 57-year-old, who played for Chelsea between 1983 and 1988, would have liked to have seen former team-mate Steve Clarke, a former assistant manager at the club, to have been given an opportunity instead of Tuchel.

“Someone like, Steve Clarke, the Scotland manager, who just technically does everything quietly,” Nevin explained.

“If you stick him in – have a look at who that guy has worked with over the years, and who has has coached and who he has got the best out of when he was a number two.”

Lampard, following his dismissal, said he was disappointed at not having the opportunity to take the club forward.

Tuchel, meanwhile, is expected to be announced as his successor this week.