Mainz sporting director Christian Heidel has taken aim at Chelsea owner Todd Boehly over his decision to sack manager Thomas Tuchel.
Tuchel led Chelsea to a Champions League triumph just six months after taking the reins. He followed that up with a strong third-place finish, accompanied by two domestic cup finals and the UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup double.
After Todd Boehly backed his manager with an enormous £270m spend, Tuchel will have finally believed he had the necessary tools to mount a Premier League title challenge. However, he was robbed of the opportunity to do so after being brutally dismissed.
It’s a decision which hasn’t gone down well among Chelsea fans, nor the wider footballing world, with Boehly now having been slated by Mainz sporting director Christian Heidel, who knows Tuchel well from his time with the Bundesliga outift.
Heidel told BILD, “The sacking is grist to the mill of those who are against investors in football. It was purely an investor’s decision. Someone who has no idea about football probably thought that sixth place wasn’t good enough for him and said: “Then let’s try another coach” after only six games.”
“I can’t think of any other reason. But Chelsea will bitterly regret this decision – they won’t get such a good coach again so quickly.”
It’s difficult to disagree with Heidel. Graham Potter will be well and truly under the microscope, measured up against tactical mastermind Tuchel and his Champions League accomplishments. Has Boehly got this one right? Time will tell…
