There are a select few managers in the world of football who are so revered and respected that even their smallest movements on the touchline are analysed in search of a deeper meaning. This is the curse of the “super coach”, a man who cannot puff out his cheeks in annoyance without triggering an avalanche of speculation about his happiness (or otherwise) and his intentions as manager.
Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Conte, as two figures who sit comfortably within the bracket of elite coaches, find themselves to be among the most intensely scrutinised of touchline operators. A large part of this is because neither manager is particularly adept at concealing their emotions during matches, although the fascination with their body language is also indicative of football’s obsession with coaches as embodiments of their teams.
In the past eight days, both Tuchel and Conte have been asked about their touchline antics in press conferences. Last week, it was put to Conte that he had been more subdued on the side of the pitch in previous games. On Friday, ahead of Chelsea’s meeting with Tottenham Hotspur this weekend, Tuchel was quizzed on his own body language, and especially the frustration he has shown towards his players in recent matches.
How much does all this matter? Well, there is a reason the questions are being asked, and why the cameras so often cut to the dugout in moments of high drama. Nothing is quite so revealing as a manager’s disgruntled face in times of difficulty or, in Conte’s case this week, the wild-eyed celebrations following a late goal. Some clubs now film their own “manager cam” videos for their social media channels.
For Tuchel, his visible unhappiness with his team during games — arms outstretched wide, his face a picture of disbelief — has gone hand-in-hand with Chelsea’s loss of momentum in the league, where they have won just one of their last seven matches. In recent weeks his players have often looked annoyed with life, and indeed each other, while Tuchel has frequently looked annoyed with them.
