Rio Ferdinand Reveals What #Boehly Did To #Tuchel Before Sacking Him—-Rio Ferdinand, a former Manchester United defender, has claimed that Chelsea owners, under the leadership of Todd Boehly interfered in the work of manager Thomas Tuchel before sacking him.
Boehly relieved Tuchel from his duties after Chelsea’s Champions League 1-0 defeat to Dinamo Zagreb last week.
The American quickly appointed Brighton coach, Graham Potter to replace Tuchel.
“It is a big thing with a manager being sacked and the way it happened,” Ferdinand said on Vibe with Five.
“I met him and did an interview with him just prior to that about his Chelsea team and the way it is structured and his plans going forward. It was just really mad and it was surreal really when I heard the news coming through because the way he was talking to me on and off screen was like he was delighted to be there.
“I have spoken to people behind the scenes and from good sources, it was as much a surprise to the coaching staff as it was to everyone outside. The staff had spent a lot of time speaking to the owners and from what I am told, Tuchel and his team had never had as much engagement with owners at any point in their careers.
“There is hands-on and there is too much. From what I hear, they were getting their noses too into things that should be left to a manager.”
Reports had emerged last week of Boehly drawing up plans to play ‘4-4-3’, as well as trying to implement player selection in the matchday squad.
Speaking on the development, Ferdinand hit out at Boehly for his reported actions, insisting that he didn’t blame the former Paris Saint-Germain coach if he distanced himself from the American billionaire.
“Can you get away with one extra player on the pitch? I have heard those stories, they are trying to influence even player selection and when you get to that point, you can start to understand why a manager would have some pushback,” Ferdinand added.
“Tuchel, the personality and character he’s, he would not have accepted that, some other characters will do as new owners say, but Thomas Tuchel is not that guy.”