Thomas Tuchel acknowledges that after Graham Potter was fired as the newest Blues manager, Chelsea has undergone a significant transformation.
Only early in the current campaign did Potter succeed Tuchel, as the club’s new owners—led by Todd Boehly—moved to install their own man? The German left the Premier League giants just over a year after leading them to their second Champions League championship.
Potter was brought in as soon as possible to take his place, although he has only stayed at Stamford Bridge for six months. On Sunday night, the ex-boss of Brighton announced his departure in a statement, saying it was by mutual consent.
After Chelsea’s drubbing by Aston Villa last weekend, which caused them to fall into the bottom half of the standings, the axe was finally swung. Tuchel’s Bayern Munich were also on their way to defeating Borussia Dortmund 4-2 in their opening match as the reigning German champions under his management.
Tuchel said this following Potter’s firing: “Last evening, I watched the news quite late. My appointment here happened to fall on the same day. At work, I made lifelong friends and had a great time. Yet, because of how much the club has changed, I didn’t have any strong feelings as a result.”
Potter will now support Chelsea and assist them in “promoting a smooth transition” to their next manager, the club said in a statement. “Graham Potter has left Chelsea FC, according to the club. To ensure a smooth transition, Graham has volunteered to work with the Club,” stated the official statement.
“Graham is appreciated for all of his work and contributions, and Chelsea wishes him the best in the future. The club will be led by Interim Head Coach Bruno Saltor.”
Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali, who jointly own the company, said: “We would want to express our profound gratitude to Graham for everything that he has done for Chelsea on behalf of the entire team.
“Graham is a coach and a person for whom we have the utmost regard. We are all unhappy with the decision because he has always acted with professionalism and integrity.
“While we concentrate on the remainder of the season, we will all be supporting Bruno and the squad, together with our amazing fans. There are still 10 Premier League games to play, and the Champions League quarterfinal is coming up. To finish the season on a strong note, we will give each of those games everything we have.
I hoped I wouldn’t have to write this statement for many years, but it is one of the hardest ones I have ever had to do. I am heartbroken that my time at Chelsea is over,” he wrote in a post in September.
“I felt both professionally and personally at home at this club. I want to express my gratitude to the entire staff, players, and fans for making me feel so welcome right away.