Thomas Tuchel demands maximum commitment from even youth team players but succeeds in building a winning mentality, according to his former player Andreas Beck.
The German coach has made an impressive start to his tenure at Chelsea, winning nine of his first 13 games in charge and remaining unbeaten.
Chelsea advanced into the quarter-finals of the Champions League with a comfortable 2-0 win over Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night and they have risen to fourth in the Premier League off the back of several positive results.
This successful start came as little surprise to former Germany international right-back Beck, who was coached by Tuchel in Stuttgart's youth ranks.
Though Tuchel was only 13 years older than academy prospect Beck, it was clear even then his tactical acumen, demand for hard work and winning mentality would take him far.
Beck, now 34, played nine times for Germany in 2009 and 2010, as well as Stuttgart, Hoffenheim and Besiktas in his club career.
He told Goal: 'I really admire his brain. Thomas was one of the best coaches I had.
'He teaches you how to play, tactically and technically. Then, there's his psychological coaching, which is very demanding. He asks you to give everything.
'Some coaches say: 'Go and enjoy yourself' but Thomas says: 'Enjoy yourself but by giving everything.' This is the mentality needed to make champions and win titles.
'This was the mentality I took with me when I won my titles at Stuttgart and Besiktas. It is the same mentality as teams like Bayern Munich.
'Yes, you have fun and enjoy it, but Tuchel is about going for it, fighting for it until you are exhausted and asking you to enjoy that process.
'Thomas even asked that of the kids and he asked for it every single day: 'Okay, go and do your simple passing exercises but always approach it like it is the last pass of your career.'
'Each session was intense. It was f**king hard work but you had to give it all to be successful.'
After beginning his coaching career at Stuttgart, Tuchel went on to manage Mainz, Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain before being appointed Chelsea boss in January following the sacking of Frank Lampard.
Chelsea's watertight defence has still only conceded twice in his 13 matches as manager and having sealed progress in Europe, they turn attention now to the FA Cup, with a home quarter-final tie with Sheffield United this Sunday.
danmusa015
843
Don't skip this picture ❣ 🔥 #Do we have mendy and Thomas Tuchel's fans here? #goatchallenge
Tossman01
669
Chelsea be like I am inevitable
DanOski
611
Tuchel has built a Chelsea team that no team would want to play against.
Richard360
544
I wish TT more success at the club. The confidence and intensity he restored to the players and team is phenomenal.
ishti
379
Thomas Tuchel is the first manager to ever defeat Diego Simeone over two legs in a Champions League knockout tie without having Cristiano Ronaldo on his team.
V15
247
We all Chelsea fans are delighted by TT managing performance. This is the happy interval for all of us. There is always a good times and bad times for every players as well as managers. We salute TT but however if the bad times approach . That is the time we need to support our coach rather than saying the time is over for him. Therefore, when the time is good we are the one who claps and when the times goes bad we are the one we kick. So we must try to become with same intention to sustain this performance.
JosephKendima
205
Did we sign clean sheet or Mendy
JimJimenez
191
Harzard might be in tears right now
Mrsaint1
79
Incredible, at the beginning many of us don't like your appointment but as time goes on you are winning our heart one by one.