Thomas Tuchel transforms outcast at Chelsea into top player in Europe

Former Chelsea assistant Jody Morris credits new England manager Thomas Tuchel for transforming Antonio Rudiger into the top centre-back in Europe while they were at Stamford Bridge.

Rudiger joined Chelsea for an initial £29 million fee from Roma in 2017 and played a season under both Antonio Conte and Maurizio Sarri before Frank Lampard’s arrival two years later.

During his time under Lampard, Rudiger dropped to Chelsea’s third-choice central defender behind Kurt Zouma and Andreas Christensen.

However, Rudiger became a key figure at Stamford Bridge following Tuchel’s arrival in January 2021 and Chelsea went on to win the Champions League together four months later.

Morris, who was Lampard’s assistant at Chelsea, feels Rudiger reached his peak under Tuchel, claiming that the new England boss turned the Germany international into an ‘outstanding’ defender.

‘When we first went in there, Rudiger had a serious injury and he wasn’t fit for a large spell,’ Morris told talkSPORT.

‘Has Rudiger played to the level that he played under Tuchel anywhere else? I’m not sure. Previously to us going in there, never.

‘But I get that because even from watching the games after we left, Rudiger, I don’t think there was a better centre half in Europe after that.

‘But I think you can always get those types of players that excel under a new manager, a new system.

‘I know that when Tuchel first went into Chelsea, I think this is [from] speaking to Anthony Barry, that he would align with an analytical company and then maybe look at where is the place that he would like to improve upon the current squad and the playing squad.

‘I think the fact that he moved into a back three allowed for three centre halves to come in and play. I think in a back three with wing backs, I think Tony Rudiger was absolutely outstanding.

‘Not just from a defensive aspect, actually, going forward, I thought he has a few roaming runs, but I’m not sure we see that level of performance previously or maybe since.’

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