Blues Corner: Thomas Tuchel

Chelsea have been in need of a transition in recent years and Thomas Tuchel’s revolutionary tactics have set the Blues on the right path this season. The German manager has a profound understanding of the beautiful game and his methods have worked wonders with a young Chelsea squad that is only beginning to reach for the sky.

The sixth episode of the series ‘Certified Chelsea’ released by the Blues’ official page presents a detailed account of Thomas Tuchel’s spectacular journey from the football pitches of Bavaria to a career-defining role at Stamford Bridge.

Thomas Tuchel had a brief playing career in his early days and began his footballing journey with local club TSV Krumbach at the age of 15. The young Bavarian moved to FC Augsburg a few years later but was unable to keep his place at the club.

Tuchel plied his trade as a central defender and spent a considerable amount of time in Germany’s league system. After a brief stint with SSV Ulm, the enterprising center-back suffered a career-ending knee injury and was forced to end his playing career at the age of 24.

Never one to be bogged down by a difficult phase, Thomas Tuchel turned his attention to tactical and managerial aspects of the game and took up courses on business administration at the University of Stuttgart. Bundesliga giants VfB Stuttgart took note of Tuchel’s skills and then-manager Ralf Rangnick hired the promising tactician as a youth coach. The former defender rose through the ranks at a rapid pace and secured an opportunity to take charge of Bundesliga club FSV Mainz in 2009.

Thomas Tuchel’s reputation as a footballing brain grew exponentially at FSV Mainz and his feats at the club attracted attention from Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund. Tuchel agreed to succeed the popular Jurgen Klopp at Dortmund and proved his skeptics wrong by stepping into the shoes of his illustrious predecessor.

Tuchel’s work with Borussia Dortmund made him a household name in Germany and his feats on both domestic and European fronts solidified his status as one of Europe’s elite managers. The German manager spearheaded a challenging transition for Borussia Dortmund and kickstarted the careers of several teenage sensations including Christian Pulisic and Ousmane Dembele.

After a successful stint with Paris Saint-Germain which yielded consecutive Ligue 1 titles, Thomas Tuchel joined Chelsea at the start of 2021 and has brought about a renaissance at the club. Tuchel’s innovative formations and his ability to bring the best out of his players have worked wonders with the Chelsea squad and have turned the Blues’ season around.

Tuchel’s 3-4-3 formation and his possession-based tactics have made Chelsea a defensive behemoth and have resulted in an impressive 13 clean sheets in only 17 games. With an average possession of over 60%, the Blues have dominated their opponents under the German manager and have shown steady improvement with every passing game. With Thomas Tuchel at the helm, Chelsea’s young squad is sure to improve and can potentially become one of the best in Europe.