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Yesterday it was announced after weeks of rumors and speculation that former Borussia Dortmund boss Thomas Tuchel would be taking over the manager position for Paris Saint-Germain. It will be his first job since his sacking just three days after bringing the DFB Pokal trophy to Dortmund.
Paris Saint-Germain are delighted to announce that Thomas Tuchel will be the new first-team coach next season !
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) May 14, 2018
The German tactician has signed a two year contract with the French champions pic.twitter.com/JoeU0jMqFC
While his character and departure are subjects of great controversy among the Borussia Dortmund fanbase, no one can deny that BVB had a sense of direction and purpose while he held the reigns. According to ESPN, the decision to appoint Tuchel as manager was made months ago, but only announced yesterday. His ability to speak French fluently and style of play were the deciding factors leading to his signing.
The Parisian club is known for having several high profile personalities both in the squad and in the upper management level. Given his history with not being afraid to clash with players and bosses who oppose him, no matter their status, it will be interesting to see how he handles the various egos that exist in PSG. It is believed that he has already met with superstar Neymar, who is rumored away to Real Madrid. Perhaps Tuchel can convince him to stay and remain part of the PSG project under the German’s direction.
In this writer’s humble opinion, there are too many average players in PSG’s squad for them to realistically want to achieve European glory. A minor squad overhaul is not out of the question, and a smart guy like Tommy T probably understands the squad’s weaknesses going in and is prepared to do something about it.
On that note, since his arrival was announced, club captain Thiago Silva and PSG CEO Nasser Al-Khelaifi have spoken out in support of the incoming boss, praising his “spectacular and clinical football” and “Brazilian way of thinking about the game.”
High praise from high positions. It’s no secret that Tuchel has built quite a reputation for himself, implying that expectations will be high, especially in the Champions League where the Parisian club has failed time and time again. This is Tuchel’s first time managing a club with a sizable budget, and I’m interested in seeing what he will do with his newfound resources.
Will he deliver?