As a former coach of Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea FC, Thomas Tuchel has already gained a lot of experience at top clubs. Is Atlético Madrid now adding another top address? Tuchel could succeed Diego Simeone if the successful coach is dismissed after eleven years or vacates the chair.
Thomas Tuchel is almost always in the middle of it, instead of just being there, when an international coaching earthquake is looming. The 49-year-old could replace Diego Simeone at Atético Madrid, according to the English newspaper Sun and Spanish media. First of all, it should be noted that the rumors have to be viewed with caution, since neither the Sun nor various Spanish sources are the most reliable.
There is hardly a coach who has become the face of a club like Simeone at Atlético. In his 11 years as head coach so far, he has won La Liga twice, the Europa League twice and has come close to the Champions League triumph several times. Simeone became a nightmare personified for Pep Guardioa and FC Bayern, among others. It is simply gigantic what Simeone has done over the years with an actually inferior squad at the highest level. The coach impressed with his emotionality and passion, but also with a sophisticated defensive concept. For many years, Simeone did extremely well with his rather destructive tactics, but both the Atlético squad and football itself have changed. Just as the tiki-taka style was retired, Simeone's defensive style seems to have come to the end of its days. With expensive offensive transfers like João Felix or the return of Griezmann, Atlético Madrid actually pushed a strategy with which you could also celebrate offensive football yourself. However, this has not yet happened and 130-million-buy João Felix, for example, is therefore unable to bring his potential to the pitch. There is no indication that Simeone has a plan B and also knows how to play football and not just how to destroy it.
In the current season, Atlético Madrid is lagging behind its own claims. The capital club was eliminated in the Champions League as a group last and can actually already make up the hopes of the La Liga title. With just one point from their last three games, Atlético find themselves fifth on 24 points, 13 and 11 behind FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. to try something new. Every beautiful story ends at some point and fresh impetus seems to be more necessary than ever.
Thomas Tuchel would definitely be a coach who could be an asset and, above all, would bring new life into the faltering offensive department. The successes of the 49-year-old also speak for themselves. However, it is also clear that Tuchel is not an easy guy and that sooner or later problems arose between him and the board of almost all of his employers. Accordingly, those responsible would have to sound out very precisely in advance whether they had a common basis in sporting and human terms. Together with Zinedine Zidane, Tuchel is probably the most prominent coach who is without an employer. However, the French legend and ex-Real coach is set to become Les Bleus head coach after the World Cup. It would therefore be logical for Atlético to try Tuchel, especially since Zidane would hardly have been an option with his Real past.
However, it is not quite as likely that Atlético is already separating from Simeone. A dismissal after such a long time together is not an easy thing. The coach may also throw himself down. Most recently, the 52-year-old spoke about resigning in an interview with DIRECTV. "If you identify with something for so long, it's because you're passionate about it. Otherwise you wouldn't do it. I step down the day that shouldn't be there. Then I step aside, because I don't know how to give half. It's all or nothing," he explained. You can't read much from it. It's possible, however, that Atlético and Someone might decide together that summer is the time to split up. Then Thomas Tuchel's hour could come.
This article was originally published on 90min.com/de as Atletico? Thomas Tuchel traded as Simeone's successor! released.
