Joe Cole: What I really think about Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea FC
Joe Cole says Frank Lampard deserves some credit for Chelsea FC's success under Thomas Tuchel this season
Joe Cole believes that Frank Lampard will deserve at least some of the credit for Chelsea FC’s success this season.
The former England midfielder was sacked by the Blues back in January and was swiftly replaced by Thomas Tuchel following a run of patchy form for the south west London side.
Tuchel has had a largely positive impact since his appointment at Stamford Bridge, with the German head coach having steered Chelsea FC to the FA Cup and Champions League finals.
Chelsea FC are also on course to secure a top-four finish in the Premier League and book their place in the Champions League for next season.
Former England and Blues midfielder Cole believes that Lampard will have to take some of the credit for Chelsea FC’s success this season despite the positive impact Tuchel has had.
Speaking to the Daily Mail ahead of the FA Cup final, Cole said: “I am friends with Frank and I’ve known him since I was a kid so you don’t want to become a cheerleader.
“Tuchel has come in and done an unbelievable job but you can’t disregard what Frank did – holding the fort during a difficult time, getting the club to a cup final last year, getting Champions League when they had lost their best player (Eden Hazard to Real Madrid in 2019).
“He brought in many of these young players in and put £200m of talent on the bottom line.
“They were going through a bad spell earlier in the season and that’s Chelsea – you know if you go through a bad spell you could get the sack.
“Frank’s fingerprints will be on this team but you have to credit Tuchel – to come in and have the impact he’s had is extraordinary. Chelsea is in a really healthy place at the moment so I am very happy, very confident.”
Chelsea FC will return to Premier League action on Tuesday night when they take on Leicester City in their penultimate game of the season.
They will then face Aston Villa in the top flight next weekend.
