Thomas Tuchel is doing team talks by video link as he masterminds Chelsea ’s Club World Cup campaign from his home back in Surrey.
Tuchel is hoping to join up with Chelsea in time for a potential final on Saturday, but missed the trip after testing positive for Covid last weekend.
But Tuchel is taking part in team meetings, sending regular phone messages and is having recordings of training sessions sent back to him.
Organisers FIFA are also looking into setting up a video link in the dressing room so Tuchel can take part and deliver a team-talk as part of the preparations for Wednesday’s semi-final with Saudi Arabian champions Al Hilal.
Chelsea assistant boss Zsolt Low said: “We are constantly in contact with Thomas. We've had a lot of meetings together using video calling all the time.
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“We think about meetings and change our ideas a lot of times in the day. We have good conversation to try to make it like he is here with us together.
“It's a big challenge but we have a very good structure club with Chelsea. We have a good medical staff, team management. We have a lot of support. And a lot of video calls with Thomas.
“He'll support us as best he can and give us every day preparation in meetings. In the next days there's the possibility to talk to the team.”
Tuchel took his positive test last Friday and, according to the new Government rules, if he is negative on Thursday and takes another negative test 24 hours later then he could fly out for the final on Friday.
In the meantime, Low and Arno Michels - long-time assistants and trusted lieutenants - will take most of the build-up.
Michels did the pre- and post-match duties before the FA Cup win over Plymouth, Low did it here in Saudi Arabia and, before the training session in the Mohammed Bin Zayed, it was performance director Petr Cech who gave a team-talk to the players in the centre circle.
Tuchel is known for not being very good at replying to texts or answering calls on with his mobile phone, and Low laughed when asked about it but insisted he is “perfect” at the moment.
But they will undoubtedly miss Tuchel’s enthusiasm on the touchline, and the German coach is excitable so will probably find it very tough to watch from his home near the club’s training ground in Cobham.
Low said: “You cannot copy him. We have to share the whole training and coaching staff. We have to share different things on the sideline. We try to push the team forward, change all the time.
“Phone calls and messages aren't Thomas' strongest part but he needs to be prepared and ready and be with us on the phone. He's been absolutely perfect in the last days.
“I don't watch our games together at home so I don't know. It can be very difficult for him to sit in front of the TV with all the emotions. Thomas is the coach who likes to be with team with energy. It's for him a new challenge also. He has to deal with it.
“Petr is all the time with us. He was an amazing player, now an amazing sports director. He has a very good feel and when we need him he steps up. He doesn't want to disturb and be part of every meeting but he is giving us some support.
“Thomas will follow the government rules, get tested every day and we hope the next will be negative so he can travel as fast as possible and enjoy the group and the team. We hope but we have texts, phone calls, video calls and give him the feeling he's with us. We need his absolute support. Twenty four hours he is there.”
