Thomas Tuchel was named England’s new manager on Wednesday, with the German set to start in the role from January 1, 2025.
The 51-year-old, who has been out of work since leaving Bayern Munich at the end of last season, succeeds Englishman Gareth Southgate as permanent coach and becomes the third foreign manager of the Three Lions after Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello.
A former coach of Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, Tuchel has the trophy-winning pedigree that the FA is seeking to help end a 58-year wait to win a major tournament.
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However, the move has drawn criticism over the FA’s unwillingness to trust an Englishman with its top job.
Tuchel will be assisted by English coach Anthony Barry, who worked alongside him at Bayern Munich.
“I am very proud to have been given the honour of leading the England team,” Tuchel said in a FA statement.
“I have long felt a personal connection to the game in this country, and it has given me some incredible moments already. To have the chance to represent England is a huge privilege, and the opportunity to work with this special and talented group of players is very exciting.” Tuchel won league titles at PSG and Bayern and the German Cup with Dortmund, but his greatest success came during his time in English football at Chelsea.
He led the Blues to Champions League glory just months after taking charge in 2021 and also won the UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup with the London club.
Tuchel was sacked in September 2022 in a bold early move by Chelsea’s new ownership group that did not pay off.
He becomes the permanent successor to Southgate, who led the Three Lions to back-to-back finals of the European Championship, plus a World Cup semi-final and quarter-final in his four major tournaments in charge.
England, though, are still yet to win a major men’s tournament since the 1966 World Cup on home soil.
“We are thrilled to have hired Thomas Tuchel, one of the best coaches in the world,” said FA CEO Mark Bullingham.
“Since Gareth resigned, we have worked through the candidate pool, meeting a number of coaches and evaluating them against that criteria.
“Thomas was very impressive and stood out with his vast expertise and his drive.” Tuchel will inherit a richly talented generation of players, including Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Cole Palmer, that will be among the favourites for the 2026 World Cup.
HOW WILL ENGLAND PLAY UNDER TUCHEL?
England fans can expect an exciting play style from the new manager but it comes with a word of warning from Sky Sports News senior reporter Rob Dorsett.
Former manager Gareth Southgate was often criticised for playing too conservatively, but a flick of the switch in recent matches under interim boss Lee Carsley did not neccesarily translate to better results.
“Wherever he’s gone, he’s played attacking, positive football. We’ve heard from people in his camp today who told us very clearly that his pitch to the FA was to sell this idea of high-octane football,” Dorsett said.
“He will get a lot of England’s attacking talent onto the pitch. They will play with a high press and with a high energy.
“That’s what he will expect of him and it will be an attractive style that England fans will like to see.
“It’s something Gareth Southgate was accused of not doing for so long but – just a word of caution – that is what Lee Carsley tried the other day against Greece and England came a cropper and looked really open.
“They lost 2-1 but it could have been 4-1 or 5-1 in truth. Gareth Southgate said to me that he was not a fantasy football manager, he is the England manager. He can’t crowbar all the talent in.
“He said that you need to have a system, and Tuchel knows that too as he is a brilliant tactician. England will score and he will keep them secure at the back. The hope is that he can turn it into a winning formula.”
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HOW HAS THE NEWS GONE DOWN IN GERMANY?
The news has come as somewhat of a shock in Germany with Sky in Germany’s Kerry Hau saying on Sky Sports News, “you don’t expect a German manager to be the English national team coach”.
But as they have dug deeper, the German press believe Tuchel’s connection with England captain Harry Kane from his time at Bayern Munich is one of the main driver’s of the appointment.
Tuchel played a key role in bringing the former Tottenham striker to Munich last year, and his straight down the line style when it comes to giving players honest feedback is regarded as something many players in the England set up could benefit from.
“I’m convinced the FA know who Thomas Tuchel is and they know him as a person too. It’s not a surprise, and no mystery Tuchel is not the easiest person in football to handle, but he’s honest,” Hau said.
“Every time he says something or gives feedback he’s 100 per cent honest – and that’s very important for some palyers.
“Younger players cannot always deal with it if you say the real things, but that’s the way he communicates.
“It’s something necessary for an English team, there is amazing talent, with amazing players – the line-up against Greece and then the performance was so disappointing.
“For him, it’s also a good step. He wasn’t happy with the way his spell at Bayern ended.
“He was unlucky with the injuries for the club, but you have to take into account he delivered in the Champions League. They beat Arsenal and almost beat Real Madrid to reach the final.”
Hau also expects that Tuchel’s deal with the FA will begin at the start of next year and his long-term future in the role will not be overly secure.
“Tuchel doesn’t sign long-term contracts so this contract will probably be until the World Cup in 2026. After that, they’ll have to assess whether they want to keep going,” Hau said.
“Contracts aren’t that important for Tuchel. His deal at Bayern ran for two years and is still going until 2025. But now he will sign with the FA on January 1 next year.”
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