Jamie Carragher has defended himself against Chelsea fans after suggesting Manchester United should target Thomas Tuchel.
The Chelsea boss has become the latest name to be linked with United as they continue their search for a permanent manager. The Reds are looking to make an appointment before the end of the season, with Mauricio Pochettino and Erik ten Hag still the frontrunners for the job.
Tuchel though has been linked with a move to Old Trafford after Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich was hit with sanctions by the UK government following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Although the club have been given a special license to continue playing until the end of the season, Abramovich has seen his assets frozen.
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The development has raised questions over the futures of a number of big names at Stamford Bridge, including Tuchel. The German has insisted though that he will remain in charge at least until the end of the current campaign.
Carragher has been one of the most vocal pundits suggesting United should target Tuchel, with the former Liverpool defender doubling down on his suggestion on Sunday. That led to criticism from Chelsea supporters, but speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, Carragher defended his opinion, and hit out at fans for what he perceived as hypocrisy.
“I had a few heated discussions at Stamford Bridge yesterday,” Carragher said. “I wouldn’t change my opinion on it [Tuchel to Man Utd].
“The reason why I think it’s a little bit hypocritical of Chelsea supporters is that if teams, whether that’s Manchester United with the manager or people thinking they can get Chelsea players are going to take advantage that they’re in right now, Chelsea have been doing that for 20 years. That was the big thing of Roman Abramovich coming.
“We can throw our money about and we can get who we want. We’re going to go to Manchester United, the first thing we do, we’re going to get Peter Kenyon their CEO. We’ll go to Liverpool and take the best midfielder in Europe and destabilise that club for two summers.
“We’ll go and get Ashley Cole, invincible, we’ll get caught tapping up, doesn’t matter, we’ll pay the fine. England flying at the time with Sven-Goran Eriksson, no, we want him as Chelsea manager, we’ll pay the fine don’t worry’.
“They win the Youth Cup every year or get into the final, not because they have the best coaches or the best academy, but because they go and basically take the best players from every club within this country and relocate the family. So Chelsea football club have taken advantage of every other club in the last 20 years because of Roman Abramovich.
“So if I give an opinion of another club taking advantage of them, that’s just a way of life. I don’t want Chelsea to go to the wall. But if that’s my opinion of it, I don’t want Chelsea fans the next time I go there questioning that opinion because that is exactly what Chelsea have done for the last 20 years.”
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