Where do we stand with Thomas Tuchel?
Is he more Ancelotti or Mourinho?
The rumor mill is in full tilt in Munich as Thomas Tuchel achieved something that has not happened in nine years - leading Bayern to three straight losses.
Even worse, the German giant has a large deficit between them and first and looks shakey in the Champions League. Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen said Tuchel will be in charge for the next match… but did not commit past that.
Not great.
To be fair, Bayern are eight points behind Levekusen with twelve rounds remaining in the Bundesliga season. And Lazio, while impressive in their last match, are not Manchester City, so advancing is certainly an option in the Champions League. This could be an amusing anecdote when Tuchel hoists a trophy surrounded by red shirts.
But what if this is not to be, and Bayern continues to stumble? What do we make of Tuchel now?
The Tuchel-Bayern marriage is both obvious and uncomfortable. He famously spurned Germany’s biggest brand in a past job search so coming to Munich seems almost appropriate. Yet he walked into a situation where Bayern was destined to, and I use this word very loosely, fail. Their title streak will end at some point, even if it is not this year. They came a Dortmund brain fart away from losing it last season. Even with Harry Kane, this seems like a club in transition.
His track record has shown he was right to turn down Bayern then but was he right to take the job now? It doesn’t matter at this point. What matters is how desperate Bayern are to do what they normally do and take the Bundesliga’s brightest coach from a title rival before Liverpool can sign him. If they do, what happens to Tuchel?
His resume is exceptional and he will be in demand. But where would he fit? The manager is famously demanding and insistent, so the ownership has to accept this when hiring him. If Pep grows tired of managing he would conceivably fit into City but the ownership group may want more stability than Tuchel could bring. That Champions League trophy experience, though, would be enticing. Similarly, Liverpool has done quite well with a former Dortmund manager, so why not see if lightning can strike twice? That’s just in England, the continent would have some opportunities for him as well.
Yet this may be Tuchel’s most disappointing season and stop since the beginning of his career. Considering his career, that’s saying something. Still, after a disappointing stop at what should have been a natural fit, it may behoove Tuchel to consider another year off to study and recommit. A disappointing Bayern stint will not permanently taint him, but a bad next move could start to raise doubts about his managerial genius. Harsh? Yes, but managing is the ultimate “what have you done lately” job. If what he’s done lately is two disappointing coaching stints, his quirks become impediments and not hurdles to jump.