Tuchel Takes the Helm as England’s New Manager

Upon his appointment as England’s new manager, following Gareth Southgate’s successful tenure, Thomas Tuchel faced a mixed reception. Some media outlets, along with former Premier League manager Harry Redknapp, advocated for the selection of a British manager. Nevertheless, the former Bayern Munich coach expressed his pride and enthusiasm for the opportunity to guide England towards their first World Cup victory since 1966.

“I am very proud to have been given the honour of leading the England team,” he stated in October 2024. “I have long felt a personal connection to football in this country, which has provided me with incredible moments. Representing England is a tremendous privilege, and I am excited about the prospect of working with this talented group of players. Together with my assistant coach, Anthony [Barry], we will do everything possible to ensure England’s success and make our supporters proud. I wish to thank The FA, particularly Mark and John, for their trust, and I am eager to embark on this journey together.”

Tuchel previously led Chelsea to Champions League victory in 2021 before being dismissed in 2022. While much of his managerial career has unfolded in Germany, Tuchel acknowledged a special fondness for England, a sentiment he does not always experience in his home country.

“In Germany, we tend to be very critical of each other, especially towards players and coaches, including myself. It’s challenging to escape this cycle once you are entrenched in it. In contrast, I feel a greater appreciation here in England, and that is a fact,” he commented.

Tuchel becomes the third non-English manager to lead the Three Lions, following Sven-Göran Eriksson and Fabio Capello. When asked if he would sing the English national anthem, he responded, “I will earn it through results, building a cohesive team, executing my responsibilities properly, and fostering an environment where perhaps even you can say, ‘Now it’s time for you to sing it, you’ve truly earned it.’ I may need to immerse myself more in the culture to earn that right from the players and supporters.”

When queried about whether he felt entitled to sing the anthem, he playfully replied, “Do you think I have already earned that right? I will consider it.”

In response to the possibility of singing the anthem at the World Cup, he smiled and said, “Yes, maybe. Let’s see.”

Following their recent 2-0 victory against Serbia, England aims to maintain a perfect winning record in their World Cup qualifying campaign, with seven wins from seven matches. Their next challenge is against second-placed Albania on Sunday. The Three Lions are also striving to complete the campaign without conceding a goal, boasting a goal difference of +20.

After the match against Serbia, Tuchel remarked, “It was a challenging game. They had extensive knowledge about us, while we knew little about them. Their players are from top clubs and leagues, and they brought individual quality and fresh energy, treating it as a final. I was pleased with our first-half performance; we deserved to score, perhaps even a second goal with Harry’s header. In the second half, our pressing could have been more effective, allowing them to escape from deep build-up plays into quick attacks, which required our back four to work diligently to maintain the clean sheet. We faced some tough moments, but I appreciate that not every victory is straightforward. Not every win is by a score of 2-0, 3-0, or 5-0. Ultimately, we kept a clean sheet, which proved crucial in the end.”