Former Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain boss Thomas Tuchel has officially been confirmed as the new England Men’s Senior team manager. He will officially take up the role on 1 January 2025, with interim manager Lee Carsley remaining in place for next month’s UEFA Nations League games.
Confirming the news on their website, the Football Association said: “The FA has announced that UEFA Champions League winner Thomas Tuchel is the new senior men’s team head coach and will be assisted by internationally renowned English coach Anthony Barry.”
Tuchel will be the fourth overseas manager of a senior England team following Sven-Goran Eriksson, who managed the men’s team from 2001-2006, Fabio Capello, who was manager between 2007 and 2012, and current women’s team manager Sarina Weigman.
Previous success in three countries
Tuchel first made his name as a coach in his native Germany. After winning the league title with the Mainz Under 19 side, he was promoted to managing the first team in 2009. His first silverware came at Borussia Dortmund in 2016-17 when they won the German Cup.
He also won the league title in both of his seasons at Paris Saint-Germain, winning the domestic treble in 2020. They came within one match of completing a quadruple as they reached the club’s first ever Champions League final, but were narrowly beaten by Bayern Munich.
The following season at Chelsea he would go one better, beating Manchester City in the final as the club won the Champions League for the second time. They followed that up by beating Palmeiras to win the FIFA Club World Cup for the first time ever in February 2021.
Mixed period at Bayern Munich
Following his controversial sacking by Chelsea, Tuchel returned to Germany and in March 2023 was named as manager of perennial champions Bayern Munich. That season the club won a 10th successive Bundesliga title after a dramatic final day of the season.
Last season proved to be a disappointing one however. Despite the signing of England captain Harry Kane, Bayern’s stranglehold on the Bundesliga was ended by Bayer Leverkusen, who went the whole season unbeaten.
However, they reached the semi-finals of the Champions League, making Tuchel the first German manager to get that far in the competition with three different clubs. After a rare trophyless season, Tuchel left the club at the end of the 2023-24 season despite having a year left on his contract
What can England expect from Tuchel?
Despite last season being a poor one at Bayern, Tuchel has earned plenty of praise from other managers, with Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola calling him: “one of the few managers I learn from.” Guardiola also praised Tuchel’s creativity, something England fans felt the team lacked under Gareth Southgate.
However, it seems as though Tuchel will be a case of taking the rough with the smooth. During his time at Chelsea, it was reported that he would regularly organise external team outings. However Nikolce Noveski, who played under Tuchel at Mainz, said he was: “not afraid to challenge people and be direct.”
Following the announcement of his departure from Bayern, The Athletic claimed that he had been unable to strike up a bond with players after “implicitly questioning their credentials on several occasions”.
What’s next for England?
The UEFA Nations League concludes in November as England travel to group leaders Greece before hosting Republic of Ireland as they look to secure promotion back to League A. Lee Carsley will remain in charge of the side for those games.
Attention will then turn to qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Depending on which group England are drawn into, they will begin their campaign in either March or September. Should England top their Nations League group, they would be assured of at least a play-off spot for the World Cup.
Of course there will be pressure on Tuchel right from the off- that is par for the course with the England job. However, after a Quarter Final and Semi Final at two World Cups and back-to-back European Championship finals in the last four tournaments, could England’s 58 year wait for glory at a men’s tournament be ended by, of all people, a German? Only time will tell.