New England manager Thomas Tuchel was sacked by Chelsea for ‘off-field reasons’ and because the players had lost respect for him, a bombshell email from his former wife claimed.
The alleged reasons, which cannot be reported on legal grounds but relate to Tuchel’s private life, emerged during a court hearing in Germany last year.
Tuchel, 51, had tried to slap a gagging order on ex-wife Sissi, 53, to stop her repeating the claims – which he vehemently denied – in German newspaper Bild.
Judges in Munich refused to grant an injunction against Mrs Tuchel, but the contents of her email were never made public due to Germany’s strict privacy laws.
Tuchel was appointed England manager on Wednesday, with the FA saying he will give the Three Lions ‘the best possible chance to win the World Cup’ in 2026.
The legal wrangle in March 2023 came a year after Sissi filed for divorce and six months after Tuchel left Chelsea under a cloud after 18 months in charge.
Thomas Tuchel is pictured with his ex-wife Sissi in Paris in November 2018. Her bombshell email claims Tuchel was sacked for ‘off-field’ reasons
Former Chelsea boss Tuchel won the Champions League with the Blues in 2021 but was sacked on September 7 2022
Munich’s Regional Court No1 heard that Sissi received a call from England telling her the ‘real reasons’ why Tuchel had been dismissed from the club. She sent him an email detailing the claims.
The Mail on Sunday revealed in April 2022 that Tuchel and Sissi had split and she had started divorce proceedings.
Shortly after the divorce was finalised, Tuchel began a relationship with Brazilian businesswoman Natalie Max, 37.
It was reported following his Chelsea sacking that Tuchel’s personal life had become a topic of conversation within the dressing room and had affected how he was perceived by his players.
He also clashed with the club’s new owner Todd Boehly, allegedly denying him the opportunity to take a group of guests into the dressing room at half-time during a match against West Ham.
Last night, biographer Daniel Meuren said Tuchel may seem boring but had a ‘wild side’.
Speaking of his time at Paris Saint-Germain, he said: ‘He would go out clubbing with the players. I got the feeling he would have loved to have been a successful player.
‘He missed out on being a 25-year-old playboy with all the money and the reputation.’
Co-biographer Tobias Schachter added that Tuchel may have the talent to propel England to World Cup glory, but Germany will claim credit if he does.
He said: ‘If he wins the World Cup, he’ll become a Volksheld (people’s hero) for us in Germany, and he will be hailed as this in England, too.’
Mr Schachter said Tuchel is ‘not the kind of person who makes friends with people’, adding: ‘He has always had problems with club bosses and gets into disputes.’
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