THE FIRST REACTIONS were predictable, partly because they felt warranted.

“That’s crazy.”

“This is madness.”

“What a disgrace.”

Gary Neville – of course – sent out a message on Twitter: “Todd Woodward,” he wrote, indicating that new Chelsea co-owner-cum-sporting director Todd Boehly’s decision to sack head coach Thomas Tuchel was something the hapless former Manchester United executive vice-chairman, Ed Woodword, would resort to at the first sign of pressure.

But as the initial shock wore off that a manager who delivered a Champions League in 2021 and was given close to €300 million to spend during the summer transfer was sacked, you began to think again.

Is it really crazy?

Is this madness?

Is it actually a disgrace?

No, it’s just football.

It’s how Chelsea had operated for the previous two decades under Roman Abramovich.

Thomas Tuchel. PA PA

Managers were disposable once they ceased to deliver on their sole requirement: to win.

Tuchel lifted the Champions League trophy having taken over a few months earlier when the Russian regime made a supposedly mad, crazy, and disgraceful decision to axe club legend Frank Lampard when he had to deal with a transfer embargo and had helped develop youngsters Reece James, Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount into first-team stars.

But once the German showed his ability to get so much more from that group of players, the feeling of disgust from some began to dissipate.

And that is what will happen now.

It’s hardly as if the decision by the new Chelsea owners to get rid of Tuchel has come as a bolt from the blue.

It’s been reported that he was stunned by events following last night’s Champions League defeat to Dinamo Zagreb, and that he desperately pleaded for more time in the phone call which sealed his fate.

The leaking of information was already underway.

Graham Potter is set for talks with Chelsea this evening. PA PA

Chelsea had opted to remove Tuchel regardless of the outcome in Croatia, the sense that growing tension from the summer had reached the point of no return.

Tuchel hardly shied away from making his own frustrations felt, as he found himself having a more hands-on approach when it came to transfer activity as personnel changes caused disruption.

Influential director Marina Granovskaia – a key transfer negotiator – left the club along with technical advisor Petr Cech as well as chairman Bruce Buck. And at the start of this month head of international scouting Scott McLachlan also departed.

Bohely was front and centre and Tuchel became an extension of the regime in the boardroom rather than simply the training pitch.

Mauricio Pochettino is in the frame. PA PA

A chastening 4-0 defeat in pre-season led to an honest admission. “I saw today a team in Arsenal who are mentally committed to an idea of playing, a level of exhaustion, a level of physical commitment that we could not match.

“Also, a level of mental commitment that we lacked because we have a lot of players who are thinking about leaving and looking at their options.”

Three wins, one draw and two defeats at the start of this Premier League campaign was hardly worthy of the knives coming out, especially given the turnover in players, but after last night’s defeat Tuchel again expressed a sense of dismay at another drab performance.

“Of course I’m frustrated; there’s too much to analyse, I’m a part of it, and we are clearly not where we need to be,” he told BT Sport.

“At the moment everything is missing. I need to find solutions for the next match, of course.”

That opportunity will not come.

Zinedine Zidane is available. PA PA

Already, Brighton’s Graham Potter has been granted permission by his employers to speak with Chelsea about replacing Tuchel.

Just where Chelsea go with their next appointment will tell a lot about the thinking of Boehly and the other partners in Clearlake Capital who have overall control at west London.

Mauricio Pochettino is another under consideration and is due to speak with the Stamford Bridge hierarchy, while Zinedine Zidane has also been mooted. Understandable given his Real Madrid record and the fact he is currently out of work.

The former Spurs boss can rightly point to moulding the most exciting – and impressive – Spurs team in recent history, and such capabilities will be crucial if Chelsea do indeed put faith in a long-term vision.

Zidane and Pochettino, with a higher profile and pedigree, would be prime examples of who the Abramovich regime would zero in on.

Tuchel has been frustrated since the summer. Xinhua News Agency / PA Images Xinhua News Agency / PA Images / PA Images

Potter, although seemingly the first to be spoken to about the vacancy, might feel like an outsider, but if Boehly is serious about building a sustainable football club than the Englishman might just fit the bill.

Under Abromovich, Chelsea could afford to lose close to €1m-a-week every week for 19 years. So, no surprise to know why a culture of waste was prevalent.

Potter’s diligent, dutiful work at Brighton, creating an exciting team that also looks defensively assured, shows his expert ability as part of a framework that operates smoothly above him.

That system is not yet in place at Chelea and, besides, he will already be expected to use the talent at his disposal given the recent outlay.

A new era now beckons at Chelsea, whether it’s the end of crazy, mad and disgraceful decisions remains to be seen.