Chelsea have been here before, Joe Cole has been here before and most people think they know the script already. The talented, charismatic manager has been shunted out and the new saviour is in. The stories of discontent are rife but the excitement of a brave new world is still prominent.
For Cole, he saw the first example of this at modern-day Chelsea. The former Blues midfielder played in the final match under Jose Mourinho's first spell and witnessed the manager that had taken Chelsea from Champions League qualification to back-to-back emphatic title wins, to leaving the club.
Other players in the group were reportedly in tears when Mourinho left the club. Cole had been a Chelsea player for just over four years and Mourinho had made him into one of the best creators in the country.
READ MORE: Graham Potter sets exciting Chelsea target amid Todd Boehly verdict after Thomas Tuchel exit
Having seen the brutal nature of Mourinho's departure close up, then going on to be managed by four more coaches in the next three and a half seasons, Cole got a first-row seat to the hire-fire mentality at the club. Now it's Thomas Tuchel that has gone, someone who most had imagined would break the mould under Roman Abramovich - to a certain extent he did - and Cole isn't convinced by the way the new owners went about the removal of the former boss.
"How do I think it was handled? Firstly, I’m happy to say I think it was the wrong decision to get rid of Tuchel," admitted Cole on Rio Ferdinand's Vibe with Five YouTube channel. "He connected with the Chelsea fans, he won trophies, he was in a difficult period that’s for sure but I think getting rid of him… there’s no good way to get rid of a manager - I don’t buy into how it was handled. For the decision, I think it was wrong and then you look at the current climate, Chelsea fans are used to getting Conte, Mourinho, top managers."
Cole left the club before they would go on to win the Champions League with Roberto Di Matteo and wasn't part of the originally planned long-term goal that Abramovich set Chelsea under Andre Villas-Boas. He does see the path that Todd Boehly is taking at the club though, and didn't let Tuchel's shock departure damage his opinion of Potter.
"To go with Potter, I’m actually quite excited about that because that suggests to me we’re going into a different direction - stability, which for all the success Chelsea have had over the last 20 years, if they had stability like City have with Pep, it’ll be more.
"I’m looking forward to seeing how it goes. It’s alright saying he’s the manager for four years but what if we don’t get into the Champions League, that’s when tests are going to come whether the owners are going to go ‘there’. I’m excited for it, I love his brand of football."
Not only is the appointment of Potter part of a structural clear out and reform at Stamford Bridge, but the idea is also to progress steadily and smoothly under Potter rather than jump the gun for quick-fire success, making a transition easier. In essence, the club would prefer to gain five points per season for three years than be 15 points better off this campaign and then drop 10 the following season.
It is a plan that will take patience, but Cole sees the virtues of it and insists that it might be one that other teams regret: "Certainly, if you’re looking for instant success, you don’t go with Potter because there’s no track record of him winning so it must be Chelsea are changing tact but I feel for Thomas Tuchel.
"I just think it’s harsh, top manager. I tell you who will be kicking themselves, Man United, that this didn’t happen three or four months ago."
READ NEXT:
Graham Potter has already found Chelsea's next N'Golo Kante but may have to pay big to sign him
Chelsea news and transfers LIVE: All the latest news, rumours and gossip from Stamford Bridge:
Thomas Tuchel breaks silence on Chelsea sacking with sincere message to staff, players and fans
Transfers, nurturing youth, formations and his weakness - What Graham Potter brings to Chelsea
Five Chelsea legends nominated for greatest Premier League transfer of all time
