Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel criticised for his treatment of Romelu Lukaku following controversial Sky Italia interview
In conversation with BBC Sport (h/t Mirror), former Premier League player Garth Crooks has backed Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku and condemned Thomas Tuchel for the manner in which he handled the controversy with the Belgian post his interview with Sky Italia.
The 28-year-old returned to Stamford Bridge after an excellent spell at Inter Milan, guiding them to a first Serie A title in 11 years. The former Manchester United striker hasn’t exactly hit top gear with Chelsea but his crucial goals in the FIFA Club World Cup would have given him some more breathing space.
The Belgian striker had a tough start to life post his big-money move to West London and matters were made even worse when he gave a candid interview regarding his current club and the Nerazzurri. In an attempt to mend things the 28-year-old issued an apology post that incident. Tuchel responded by axing him for the pivotal tie against Liverpool before bringing the striker back into contention.
Crooks went on to praise Romelu Lukaku for his performances in the FIFA Club World Cup. The football pundit also hinted at the fact that the situation regarding the Belgian post his controversial interview could have been handled in a more apt manner:
“I said Thomas Tuchel would need Romelu Lukaku and so it is proving. The overzealous nonsense by the Chelsea manager in sanctioning the Belgium striker after he fell for the flattery of an interviewer in Italy almost cost Tuchel and the club. Instead, Lukaku apologised when other strikers of similar calibre might have put two fingers up to the manager and made for the exit……………..Lukaku led the line brilliantly against Palmeiras and was instrumental in Chelsea winning the Club World Cup for the first time in their history. Not a bad return.
Has Romelu Lukaku burnt his bridges at Chelsea?
Whilst the situation could have been deemed as straight-up defiance of his current employers by some fans, the 28-year-old striker did his part to curb what could have been a sour issue by apologising. Lukaku has since then been a key piece in helping Chelsea secure the Club World Cup by scoring in the semi-final as well as the final of the competition.
This may give him some breathing space at the moment but the former Everton striker will have to start replicating that form in the Premier League as well as the UEFA Champions League. It seems as though the Belgian is still trying to settle into his new role at Stamford Bridge and a little push in the right direction could go a long way.
Lukaku’s form has been indicative of the West Londoners’ trouble in front of goal this season. Apart from the former Manchester United player, the club have also spent a huge amount of money recruiting the likes of Timo Werner and Christian Pulisic. While the latter has struggled with injury issues in the last couple of seasons, Werner hasn’t been able to replicate the kind of form that he showed in the Bundesliga.
All of these issues coupled with injuries to first-choice wing-backs Reece James and Ben Chilwell have continued to make life difficult for the Blues in the attacking department. This could be the perfect opportunity for someone like Romelu Lukaku to step up to the plate to show his determination and abilities.
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Great performances in the upcoming fixtures could shut up the critics make help him settle better at Chelsea. With the EFL Cup final coming up later this month the Belgian could get another opportunity to showcase his worth and the fans would be hoping that he can build on his performances in the Club World Cup and continue in the same vein of form.