Thomas Tuchel does not care if his methods make his players hate him - as long as they win.
The frustrated German wrecked his players’ planned Sunday lunches at the weekend, when he hauled them in for extra training the day after their disappointing draw with Wolves at Stamford Bridge. But Tuchel, whose side face struggling Leeds tonight in a must-win game if they are to hang on to third place in the Premier League, and as they prepare for Saturday’s FA Cup final against Liverpool, doesn’t care. His Sunday was wrecked as well.
The Chelsea manager said: “If you want to be loved on a daily basis you should not become a high level football coach. It will not happen. At this moment not I’m probably not popular. Most of them expected a 30 minute team talk and then to watch the game again. Once they understood why they were in and the weather was fine most of them accepted it.
“I need a free day - because I also cancelled my free Sunday! I also had some plans on Sunday morning and they were cancelled. But this happens. There was even an Under-23 game at one o’clock, and two thirds of the team stayed and watched it. Nobody was getting in their car and getting away. They take their responsibility, and that is what I love about the team.”
Tuchel is also hoping that Romelu Lukaku’s two goals against Wolves, the £97 million striker’s first in the league since December 29, will spark a much-needed end of season blitz from the Belgian.
Chelsea’s grip in third place has been loosened by a run of only two wins in their last seven league games, and Tuchel said: “Romelu has been scoring goals since he was six years old. It is in his body. This is what I tell him all the time - trust your body, trust your brain, trust your instincts. You never forget how to score, but he needs a spark and hopefully this was it.
“Many strikers once they start thinking it is not a good thing because they should trust their instincts. It starts a cycle where it is hard to climb out. But Romelu is very committed in training, and as a team player. That is what we love about him. No ego at all.”
Chelsea are waiting on fitness checks on midfielders N’Golo Kante and Jorginho.
