The English are famous exceptionalists, and in nothing is that more visible than in football.
We love to think our league is better, but more importantly different to those in the rest of the world. So with Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea about to play their first game in the FA Cup, that most English of competitions, it was inevitable the German coach would be asked what he made of the sport on these isles.
Thomas Tuchel on the Premier League:
“There is a big intensity in coaching, big physical imput, very disciplined defending in their structure. Everybody is fighting hard for a win. Nobody is settling for a good draw or a close defeat.”
[via @Football_LDN]
— Talk Chelsea (@talkchelsea) February 10, 2021
He obliged the journalists by reeling off the usual boring cliches – the game has “big, big intensity”, it was “physical” and the matches come every few days. But he denied it was a surprise – as he pointed out, everyone knows what it’s like to play over here.
We can expect a load of intensity when we face Barnsley tomorrow night, and it will hopefully be a fun introduction to the historic competition for the former Dortmund boss.
