Thomas Tuchel always knew this moment would arrive at Chelsea. The German accepted as much in his very first press conference as head coach: "If they are not happy, they will sack me," he said matter-of-factly.
Plenty has changed at Stamford Bridge in the 19 months since Tuchel uttered those words. The most influential of which was beyond his control. Under previous owner Roman Abramovich, Tuchel's role was defined. He was the first-team coach and supported by those above him, namely club director Marina Granovskaia and technical and performance advisor Petr Cech.
It was in that hierarchical structure that Tuchel did his best work. His impact after replacing Frank Lampard was immediate and within five months he had guided Chelsea to the Champions League. In the process, he forged an emotional bond with the club's supporters, something he was unable – or perhaps even unwilling – to do at Borussia Dortmund at Paris Saint-Germain.
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Tuchel's relationship with Cech also grew stronger during what will go down as his only full season in charge. The Chelsea legend was a regular at the Blues' training base in Cobham and effortlessly knitted different departments of the club together. It was no surprise that when the club was put up for sale in February, Cech was the high-ranking official trusted to reassure staff.
The final four months of last season will go down as arguably the most tumultuous of Chelsea's recent history. The sanctions placed upon Abramovich by the UK Government following Russia's invasion of Ukraine impacted the club in a big way. And rather unfairly, it was left almost exclusively to Tuchel to answer hugely difficult questions in front of television cameras and journalists' dictaphones.
That he did so with empathy, understanding and authority further strengthened his relationship with supporters, who created a banner in Tuchel's honour and displayed it ahead of the penultimate Premier League game of the 2021/22 campaign. Tuchel's response to it was heartfelt: "It's fantastic, thank you very much. It's unbelievable, I've never had one before."
Less than a fortnight later and Chelsea were free of sanctions and under new ownership. A consortium led by U.S billionaire Todd Boehly and supported by Clearlake Capital completed their takeover worth £4.25billion. Tuchel would play a pivotal role in the summer that followed, especially as Granovskaia and Cech soon departed from their roles.
Yet greater influence over transfer strategy and decisions was not something Tuchel truly wanted, nor fully embraced. He felt the need to step up and offer football expertise to a new board without any but would have rather focused solely on preparations for the campaign ahead.
It became clear during Chelsea's pre-season tour of the USA that Tuchel was feeling the strain of his dual role. football.london understands there were grumbles from the 49-year-old about the condition of the UCLA pitch during their time in Los Angeles, frustration with the amount of travelling that had to be undertaken, and irritation with having to train in the heat and humidity of Orlando.
That was admittedly beyond the control of Boehly, Behdad Eghbali and Jose Feliciano; the tour was organised under the Abramovich regime and there was simply not enough time following the takeover to create a new, more football-focused pre-season schedule.
Much-needed signings did join up with the squad while Chelsea were stateside. Raheem Sterling arrived from Man City and Kalidou Koulibaly linked up with the team in Las Vegas. But uncertainty over the futures of several members of the squad remained – and that wasn't always handled in the best fashion as football.london understands there was little clarity offered from Tuchel.
That several players without long-term futures at Chelsea were involved in friendly matches raised further questions. And many of the concerns manifested themselves against Arsenal in Orlando. The Blues were beaten 4-0 by their Premier League rivals and Tuchel could not guarantee his side would be ready for their season opener against Everton.
The mood did improve once Chelsea returned from America but it became clear the popularity Tuchel previously enjoyed among his playing staff was being eroded. Several members of the first-team squad pushed to leave Stamford Bridge this summer, either in search of regular football or to kickstart careers that had stagnated. Not all got their wish.
All the while, signings continued to be made by Boehly and Eghbali. Yet it became clear Tuchel was not driving every piece of business done by the club. The arrivals of talented youngsters Carney Chukwuemeka and Cesare Casadei from Aston Villa and Inter Milan, respectively – at a potential cost of £35million – came after recommendations from head of youth development Neil Bath and his assistant Jim Fraser.
Potential departures were also given extra consideration by the new ownership group as the summer progressed; football.london knows of one permanent deal Boehly and Eghbali opted against sanctioning despite having Tuchel's sign-off.
It's these decisions, all taken away from the glare of the worldwide Premier League audience, that sowed the seeds for Tuchel's departure, which still came as a shock to many. Chelsea's new ownership wanted a head coach that was heavily invested in the club's future – and not just in the months ahead. They ultimately didn't feel that was Tuchel.
That's why the disappointing defeat to Dinamo Zagreb last night was not the final straw. The choice had already been made to relieve Tuchel of his role and appoint a coach more suited to the collaborative approach and long-term vision the club's new board hope to implement and follow through on.
Graham Potter appears to be that coach. Chelsea have already approached Brighton and Hove Albion and held talks with Potter this afternoon in London. It's understood it could cost the Blues around £10million to buy the 47-year-old out of his contract, but it's a price they are willing to pay if necessary.
There will be scrutiny of the decision taken by Boehly, Eghbali and Feliciano in the days ahead; that will come as no shock nor surprise to the trio. And questions will rightly be asked as to how they reached this point so early into their time as owners of Chelsea.
Tuchel will undoubtedly feel aggrieved at the decision, especially as Chelsea appeared to be backing him in the final days of the window with the late signings of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Denis Zakaria. And perhaps had it been possible for the new owners to bring in a sporting director to take the pressure off Tuchel, things would have worked differently.
But his legacy at Stamford Bridge, the success he achieved in 19 months, and how he guided the club through great turmoil prior to the takeover, will certainly not be forgotten by supporters. To them, he will forever be the Deutscher Maestro.
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