Thomas Tuchel asked the Chelsea board if they were sure about sacking ‘legend’ Frank Lampard

Thomas Tuchel revealed he told the Chelsea board to reconsider sacking predecessor as head coach Frank Lampard before the German arrived at the club.

The current Blues head coach was brought in as Lampard’s replacement in January of this year when the club were sat in ninth spot in the Premier League. Tuchel has since revolutionised this Chelsea team and won the Champions League title with them in May. 

But the German head coach has now revealed that he questioned the Blues board’s decision to sack club legend Lampard during his first conversation with the club, but was then told that the former Chelsea and England midfielder’s position was untenable.

Thomas Tuchel (left) questioned the Chelsea’s board decision to sack Frank Lampard (right) before hiring him

Tuchel (left) revealed he told the Chelsea board, led by Roman Abramovich (middle), that the fans would hate the club for sacking a club legend

Tuchel told Sky Sports: ‘I actually said to the board in the first phone call, “are you sure about doing this? Because they will not like you. Maybe he deserves more time.” Because when I think of Chelsea I think about Frank Lampard, John Terry, Petr Cech, Didier Drogba.

‘I think about him in the very first moment because he embodies everything that Chelsea is: hard work, aggressive player, big leader but at the same time a normal guy on the pitch and such a team player. A true, true legend.

‘But I clearly understood the choice was more or less made and it was take it or leave it. Then I hoped for a fair chance with the players because when you step in, there is not everybody happy from 20, 22 players.’

Tuchel has had a brilliant first seven months at Chelsea, winning them the Champions League 

Lampard, who scored 211 goals in 13 seasons for Chelsea during his playing days, was relieved of his duties after just one-and-a-half seasons at Stamford Bridge.

The former midfielder was hired in the summer of 2019 while the club were sat in a transfer embargo and managed a top-four spot in his first ever season as a Premier League manager despite Chelsea being under a transfer embargo. 

The 43-year-old was also responsible for the development of several young players in the Chelsea squad, including England internationals Mason Mount and Reece James and Tammy Abraham, who moved to Roma for £34million this past week. 

Tuchel revealed the had to convince the Chelsea players he did not help kick Lampard out

Tuchel added that he had to convince the Chelsea playing squad that he played no part in Lampard’s sacking and claimed he is strongly backed by the Blues playing squad.  

‘You cannot expect everybody to be happy with the manager gone, especially because he had a good (Champions League) group stage, good results, good performances and sometimes he was also simply unlucky, with what the data showed to us.

‘But I said very early, “listen guys, I did not push him out. I am just here now to continue in my way and let’s try to be open and give us a chance together.”

‘I’m in a top club with fantastic support, super organised and strong group on the field. It’s a pleasure to work every day and it’s like this since day one.’