Mainz coach Bo Svensson has spoken about the influence of Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel on his career.

Svensson took charge of his ex-club in 2021, where Tuchel worked from 2009 to 2014.

Svensson managed to lead Mainz to eighth place in the Bundesliga last term.

"It was a defining period for me as a coach, for my coaching career," Svensson said of the time spent with Tuchel at Mainz, per Goal.com.

"They were also defining years for me as a person because Thomas was just a different coach than everyone that I had before. He just saw the game in a different way.

"He trained in a different way and his whole approach was very ambitious but also just very innovative and that opened my eyes to a lot of things.

"Of course, he was the guy who opened my eyes and got me interested in the whole coaching thing, so that's a lot of inspiration."

He added: "I think everybody who meets inspirational people in their life, they will take something from them and I've done the same.

"Maybe you can take something from examples like training exercises or ways to approach a game or something.

"Of course, I've been influenced by that but I think it was also that's why it was also important for me to go through the whole youth academy and having these youth themes because you when you go as a player into the coaching role, you have no idea what it's actually about.

"I've taken a lot from Thomas but I think I've I've also justified along the way, or am still defining, how I want to be and what matters for me, without looking to how Thomas maybe would have found the solution or anything."