Thomas Tuchel responds to Bayern Munich fans' petition to KEEP him at the club... with over 12,000 supporters calling for the German to stay and Ralf Rangnick not to be appointed

Outgoing Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel has responded to the German side's fans setting up a petition for him to stay at the club.

The former Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain manager was handed his marching orders at the end of February after overseeing a turbulent 10 months with the serial champions.

The club were unable to claim their 12th consecutive Bundesliga title in the face of Xabi Alonso's ascendant Bayer Leverkusen side, and had been knocked out of the German Cup with just the Champions League left to contest.

Bayern were set to chase Alonso in a bid to appoint him as their new manager, but he has opted to stay at Leverkusen and Tuchel's side have been unable to nail down a successor in the weeks that have followed.

In response, the club's fans have started a petition to force their club to renege on their decision to sack Tuchel - which has received over 12,000 signatures - and the German has now responded.

Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel has responded to a petition from fans asking him to stay at the club

'Even though this topic is good for me when they [the fans] wish you to stay, it's not something that is a priority,' Tuchel said, speaking prior to Bayern's game against Frankfurt on Saturday.

'It isn't allowed to be a priority. In the next 11 days it's only about football, nothing else. Whether it's pleasant or unpleasant, I don't allow myself to be influenced by it.'

The change.org petition has gathered pace since its launch on Tuesday. It calls for the club to spurn other candidates and take another look at Tuchel's achievements with an 'injury-plagued' side.

'FC Bayern decided to dismiss Thomas Tuchel in the summer after the defeat against VFL Bochum. What an atrocious decision!' the petition's statement begins.

'Thomas Tuchel, also known as "Juppel," never had it easy in Munich. Despite the negative media coverage surrounding him and the personnel situation with the injury-plagued Munich team, the Champions League winner led his team to the semi-finals of the Champions League.

'With all due respect to candidates like (Unai) Emery or Rangnick, these coaches can't hold a candle to "Juppel".'

Bayern have held talks with former Manchester United manager Ralf Rangnick over taking the reigns next season as they look for an alternative to Alonso.

Aston Villa boss Emery, meanwhile was briefly considered to be subject to Munich's strong interest, but this week signed a new deal with his current side Aston Villa, much to the delight of the club's supporters and his dressing room.

It remains unclear what is next for Tuchel, meanwhile, who was linked to the Liverpool job prior to the Reds' impending appointment of Arne Slot.

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher, writing in The Telegraph, suggested the former Chelsea man would have been the ideal replacement for Jurgen Klopp at Anfield.

'I would have given more thorough consideration to a coach like Thomas Tuchel who took on and beat Pep Guardiola in the ultimate test - a Champions League final,' Carragher wrote. 'Tuchel followed Klopp at Mainz and Borussia Dortmund and did well. 

'It has not worked out at Bayern Munich this season, but you only have to look at Carlo Ancelotti and Unai Emery to recognise how top coaches recover from setbacks.