Thomas Tuchel named 2021 German Coach of the Year
By Sean Walsh
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has been named as Kicker's German Coach of the Year.
The 47-year-old only arrived at Stamford Bridge in January, replacing club legend Frank Lampard in the hot seat.
He almost immediately won over the fanbase as he made the Blues one of the toughest sides in Europe to beat, helping them claw back from a seemingly impossible position to secure a place in the top four.
Of course, Tuchel's crowning glory came as Chelsea beat Premier League winners Manchester City 1-0 in the Champions League final, lifting the European Cup for only the second time.
His triumph with Chelsea comes just a year after losing the final with Paris Saint-Germain, who he only left in December 2020.
Speaking to Kicker about the award, Tuchel was humble and played down his personal achievements.
"I accept the award very gratefully as a great honour for the entire team because I see myself as a team player," he said. "Therefore, the personal award is a bit uncomfortable for me. Who wants to decide what is the greatest. Maybe Christian Streich [manager of Freiburg] or Bo Svensson [manager of Mainz] deserved the award. Maybe you could drive to Freiburg every year. Maybe you would have to drive to Heidenheim because the work there is outstanding."
Bayern Munich legend Jupp Heynckes heaped praise on Tuchel, and said he is totally deserving of the award.
"I have held Thomas in high esteem for many years," Heynckes said. "He is passionate about football. Only with this dedication has he been able to be so successful. He fully deserves the award of coach of the year. There are ups and downs in the coaching profession, but in the end the pendulum always strikes the side of whoever deserves it."