You have to stop: Tuhel loses composure over inquiries about war in Russia and Abramovich | Chelsea

Thomas Tuchel called on reporters to stop asking him questions about the invasion of Ukraine and Roman Abramovich’s plan to transfer control and care of Chelsea to the club’s charity foundation.

The Chelsea manager held a press conference before the FA Cup match on Wednesday in Luton Town and lost his temper after being pressed too many times for his thoughts on the war in Ukraine. Tuhel was faced with several questions about Abramovich, who said he was stepping down from Chelsea after a call in parliament to stand up to him against sanctions, and he cut short after being asked if he hoped the club’s Russian owner would help mediate peace between Ukraine and Russia.

“Listen, listen, listen, you have to stop,” Tuhel said. “I am not a politician. You have to stop, honestly. I can only repeat it. And I even feel bad about repeating it, because I’ve never been through a war. So even if I talk about it, I feel bad because I’m very privileged. I sit here in peace and do my best, but you must stop asking me these questions. I have no answers for you. “

Abramovich’s move to transfer Chelsea’s management to the foundation’s trustees may encourage bidders that a sale is possible and there may be offers this week. Stakeholders could take swift action if Abramovich is sanctioned by the UK government, at which point the sale is unlikely to be allowed. Abramovich vehemently challenged reports suggesting he was linked to Vladimir Putin and Russia or that he had done something to deserve sanctions.

Chelsea claims that the club is not for sale. There is no speculation that Abramovich is willing to take out the £ 1.5 billion in loans he gave to the club after buying Chelsea in 2003. US businessman Todd Bowley and Ineos chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe have reportedly tried to buy club in the past.

Tuhel was asked if there was a message to Chelsea fans about the insecurity at the club. Some trustees have concerns about Abramovich’s plan, and the charity committee contacted the foundation for more information after the report of a serious incident was reported to the regulator. The trustees will probably want to have an impenetrable compensation policy if they want to continue with the proposed change in the structure of the club. This would ensure that they are not responsible for any financial consequences.

“I’m not so sure if I’m the one to send messages to fans about something other than sports,” Tuhel said. “We try to be calm here, I am calm and we are calm in the center of a storm or some noise around us that we cannot control and are not responsible for. In the end, it’s best to stay calm and focus on what we love and do. This is a sport.

“I think we have the right to focus on the sport, the players have the right to be focused and that’s what we can tell the fans. I think that’s what the fans saw on Sunday.

“There is a big situation there and there was still a lot of commitment from the players, the clubs and the fans. Everyone is aware of more important things and the situation is that Ukraine is much more important. However, we arrived with two strong teams to play a fantastic match. We arrived though to entertain the fans with a match of maximum effort and fun. I don’t know what we could do differently. “

Tuhel did not want to say whether Abramovich’s property was a problem for Chelsea. “I must say that it is too much to answer,” said the German. “I am not aware of any details and I am not aware of the whole situation. We all agree that there are situations much, much more important than football, that will never change. And situations like war, of course, are much more important. But the role of Mr. Abramovich is not mine to comment on, because I just don’t know enough about it.