Assessing the available managers after Chelsea sack Thomas Tuchel

After defeat to Croatian side Dinamo Zagreb, Chelsea took the decision to relieve Thomas Tuchel of his duties.

Chelsea have endured a difficult start to the season, with losses to Southampton and Leeds particularly disappointing results in the Premier League.

With the season only kicking off a few weeks ago, there is a lack of managers currently available, so unless Chelsea are planning on poaching a new head-coach from another club, their options are limited.

We’ll be taking a look at some of the managers who are without a club as it stands.

Mauricio Pochettino

After bringing Lionel Messi to PSG, many expected the French giants to dominate European football. Unfortunately, under Pochettino, they failed to have any success in the Champions League, despite having a devastating front three of Messi, Neymar, and Kylian Mbappe.

Pochettino is no stranger to the Premier League, having managed Tottenham and Southampton, where he enjoyed successful periods at both clubs.

It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Chelsea at least approach the Argentine to discuss a potential appointment, considering he is without a club and has a wealth of experience.

Zinedine Zidane

The former Real Madrid manager and player enjoyed vast amounts of success in both his roles at the club. During his time as manager, he won three Champions League trophies, as well as the league title on two occasions.

Zidane left Real Madrid due to the club no longer having faith in him, as quoted by the BBC. He did also state that he was certainly not finished in the management game, but he is yet to find a new club suitable for him.

If he’s looking for a club to show faith in him, then Chelsea may not be the best destination for him, due to their lack of patience with managers in recent years.

However, as we saw with Tuchel during the summer transfer window, the new owner Todd Boehly isn’t afraid to throw a lot of money at the project at Chelsea.

Marcelo Bielsa

Bielsa most recently managed Leeds United, where he was best known for implementing a high-tempo, heavy pressing style. Bielsa demanded huge amounts from his players who all bought into his ideas.

The question would be whether Bielsa can get a tune out of the Chelsea players and whether they would buy into his extreme demands. Leeds had lots of hungry players, many of who were part of the side who helped them get promoted from the Championship, whereas Chelsea is filled with superstars.

Jorge Sampaoli

Sampaoli left Marseille this year despite guiding them to a fantastic second-place finish in France. After losing Boubacar Kamara and failing to secure William Saliba on a permanent deal, Sampaoli was reportedly dissatisfied with the ambition of the club, according to Squawka.

Sampaoli sensationally won the Copa America with Chile in 2015, beating the likes of Argentina and Brazil to the trophy.

A crazy achievement, of course, but Sampaoli has only lifted one trophy since, winning the Campeonato Mineiro with Atletico Mineiro.

A lack of honours in European football could deter Chelsea, but as previously mentioned, there’s a lack of available managers as it stands.

Sean Dyche

After leaving Burnley following their relegation from the Premier League, Dyche is currently without a club. Dyche is known for his pragmatic, defensive approach, and with Chelsea leaking goals, they could be looking for a manager to organise their defence.

Of course, a club like Chelsea are unlikely to appoint Dyche, but we’ve seen in the past when clubs are desperate, bringing in a pragmatic manager to steady the ship is often their chosen method.

Overall, the lack of available managers is a worry for Chelsea, so there’s a good chance we could see them make an approach for a manager who is currently in a job.