How foreign coaches have fared leading England after Thomas Tuchel appointment
The German will take over as Gareth Southgate’s permanent successor from the start of 2025.
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Thomas Tuchel’s appointment as England’s new head coach has divided opinion and that is not strictly down to his credentials but largely because of his nationality.
However, the German, who has vowed to win over the doubters by landing England’s first piece of silverware since 1966, is not the first import to oversee the national side’s fortunes.
Here, the PA news agency takes a look at those before him in football, cricket and rugby union.
Sven-Goran Eriksson (football)
The Swede entered as England’s first foreign manager, succeeding Kevin Keegan in 2001, and the omens were initially positive as he oversaw a thrilling 5-1 win over Germany in Munich later that year. Despite presiding over a golden generation of talent, he was unable to lead England to glory with three quarter-final exits at major competitions. However, he is fondly remembered on these shores, as evidenced by the tributes that poured in following his death in August.
Fabio Capello (football)
After Steve McClaren’s ill-fated reign, England looked abroad again and brought in the decorated Fabio Capello in 2008. The Italian’s status as one of the world’s best club coaches was already assured and his win percentage of 66.7 remains the best of any full-time England boss. But England massively underwhelmed at the 2010 World Cup and a number of off-field issues overshadowed his tenure.
Eddie Jones (rugby union)
After a shambolic World Cup on home soil in 2015, the Australian transformed England’s fortunes as their first overseas head coach, overseeing an 18-match winning streak which included a first Six Nations Grand Slam in 16 years in 2016 then a 3-0 triumph over Australia. Jones led England to the 2019 World Cup final and his win percentage of 73 is the best of any England coach.
Duncan Fletcher (cricket)
Not only was the Zimbabwean England’s first foreign head coach in 1999, he was the first not to have played a Test. His lack of top-flight experience as a player proved no stumbling block, though. Fletcher struck up rapports with Nasser Hussain then Michael Vaughan, with the trio instrumental in taking England from a laughing stock at the turn of the century to Ashes winners in 2005.
Andy Flower (cricket)
Asked to pick up the pieces after the Peter Moores-Kevin Pietersen saga in 2009, the former Zimbabwe captain was at the helm as England went all the way to the top of the Test rankings two years later. Flower presided over England’s only Ashes triumph Down Under of this century in 2010/11 before his reign ended in acrimony after a 5-0 whitewash on their return to Australia in 2013/14.
Trevor Bayliss (cricket)
Appointing an Australian to lead England’s cricketers was akin to giving Tuchel the football job. But desperate times called for desperate measures, with England’s white-ball fortunes at an all-time low after a dreadful 50-over campaign in 2015. Within four years, England went from ODI also-rans to a world champion, trend-setting team, largely thanks to the axis of Bayliss and Eoin Morgan.
Matthew Mott (cricket)
Tasked with continuing their white-ball success in 2022, the Australian led England to T20 glory later that year as they became the first nation to unify both limited-overs World Cups. However, within 18 months they surrendered both and Mott ultimately paid the price earlier this year.
Brendon McCullum (cricket)
The New Zealander was originally a candidate for the job that went to Mott as England split their head coach roles two years ago, only to take on the challenge of leading a side that had won one of their previous 17 Tests. The transformation was instant as he struck up a successful union with Ben Stokes, empowering the side and settling on a style known as ‘Bazball’ that has been the talk of world cricket. He will oversee all English men’s cricket at the turn of the year.