Thomas Tuchel press conference LIVE: New England manager says ‘I’m sorry I have a German passport’
The German has been officially unveiled as the third foreign manager of England’s senior men’s side
England have officially announced Thomas Tuchel as the new manager of the men’s national team, with highly-regarded English coach Anthony Barry as his assistant.
The German succeeds Gareth Southgate as the permanent boss of the side in an eye-catching appointment made by the Football Association (FA). The former Chelsea manager has been out of work since leaving Bayern Munich at the end of last season, but carries real pedigree, leading the Stamford Bridge club to Champions League triumph in 2021 and winning league titles in both Germany and France.
The 51-year-old will lead England into the 2026 World Cup on North American soil having emerged as the FA’s preferred appointment this week – with official confirmation coming on Wednesday morning. A number of candidates, including Pep Guardiola, were sounded out over the vacancy while Lee Carsley performed the duties on an interim basis, but Tuchel fits many of the criteria outlined by the stand-in manager last week.
Having worked closely with captain Harry Kane at Bayern last season, Tuchel will be unveiled as the third foreign holder of the role after Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello, but leading pundit Gary Lineker isn’t sure the Three Lions have made the right choice.
Follow all the latest updates in our live blog below as Tuchel speaks to the media for the first time as Three Lions boss:
Thomas Tuchel sends message to England fans
Thomas Tuchel addressed his appointment as England manager with a short social media message posted to the England Twitter account.
It in he said: “I’m quite a bit nervous, this is my first message as England head coach. I’m at Wembley, where else? There’s also a reason to be a bit nervous, it’s a good thing.
“I can promise you that I’m very excited and honoured and I will do everything to qualify and have a successful World Cup.”
England appointing Thomas Tuchel shows as much desperation as inspiration
When Thomas Tuchel sat down with the Football Association over the last week, there was one detail that weighed over everything. That was simply to win the 2026 World Cup. That was the huge attraction of the job for him. That was the primary impetus for the FA.
It was obviously about so much more than Lee Carsley’s defeat to Greece last week, given that Tuchel had already signed his contract at that point. It was as early as 8 October. The FA certainly did well to keep the story under wraps in quite an old-fashioned way. The German’s own existing interest in the job also increased once it became clear that Manchester United were not going to move off Erik ten Hag any time soon.
A narrative could be formed about how the Old Trafford hierarchy has let another manager, who could have been the right man, go, but there is a grander storyline to this. England have certainly made a statement with this appointment, even if it says a few different things about the national game.
England appointing Thomas Tuchel shows as much desperation as inspiration
The German represents a shift away from years of planning by the FA, writes Miguel Delaney, yet his appointment also highlights the ultimate desire for the Three Lions on the road to the 2026 World Cup
Neville ‘disappointed’ for English coaches
Gary Neville also explained that the appointment of Thomas Tuchel speaks of a failing at St. George’s Park to properly prepare and promote English coaches at home and in Europe.
He acknowledged that Tuchel is a great coach but admitted to being disappointed that there wasn’t an equally great English coach available to replace Gareth Southgate.
Neville told Sky Sports: “There is an element of disappointment in my head thinking about the fact that the FA have gone to an international coach.
“I was a sceptic of St. George’s Park, I was with England under Roy Hodgson when England moved there. I was worried whether it would succeed or not. What you can’t deny over the last seven or eight years is the relative success of the England teams right the way through the youth teams to the women’s team to the men’s team getting to two finals which hasn’t happened for 50/60 years.
“If we’re not going to promote English coaches in out own country then we can’t ask anybody to promote English coaching either in the Premier League or leagues around Europe. It’s been a difficult time for English coaches over a 15-20 year period to try and gain some reputational success in Europe.
“I think Gareth [Southgate] restored a bit of faith, not just in English coaching but in English players. What the FA have done doesn’t feel like a strategic decision, it feels like an instinctive one. Thomas Tuchel has been available for months and there was no need to appoint an interim in Lee Carsley if they want Tuchel months ago.”
Gary Neville addresses Thomas Tuchel appointment
The former Manchester United and England right-back had plenty to say on the implications of the FA appointing Thomas Tuchel as the new England manager but made it clear that the appointment is a strong one.
Neville appeared on Sky Sports News and said: “They’ve got a great coach. Thomas Tuchel has a proven track record, he’s proven he can win big knockout matches so from that point of view the FA cannot be criticised. They’ve probably got the best available coach in Europe and the world at this moment in time so fitting that criteria they’re spot on.
“I’m not sure it fits the criteria of St. George’s Park and the belief in English coaches and the growth in the English teams’ performance over the last seven or eight years. Not just with the first team but with the women’s team and the youth teams as well. St. George’s Park was going to be a hotbed of proving that English coaches could get back to the top of Europe which is proving to be very difficult.”
Who is Anthony Barry?
Anthony Barry had to submit a dissertation to achieve his FA Pro Licence, so the young coach studied 16,380 throw-ins and presented his findings to his classmates, who included Frank Lampard and Michael Carrick.
It was 2020, and it would prove to be a formative moment in his career. Lampard brought Barry – then assistant manager at League One’s Wigan Athletic – to work with him at Chelsea, and the Liverpudlian coach stayed on under Lampard’s successors, Thomas Tuchel and then Graham Potter.
Tuchel was so impressed that when he joined Bayern Munich he “bought” Barry from Chelsea for £1m, and put the Englishman in charge of all his set-pieces. In the meantime, Barry worked as a coach under Roberto Martinez at Belgium and then Portugal’s national team, flying between club and national roles with a laptop for each job.
And so, as Tuchel was announced as England’s new manager on Wednesday, it was no surprise to see Barry named as his assistant. Tuchel has alongside him a friend and trusted colleague who knows English football and the FA, who has coached captain Harry Kane before, who has worked with world-class players, international teams and already been to a World Cup.
Shearer has no problem with Tuchel’s nationality
Thomas Tuchel’s German nationality will no doubt displease a certain section of fans, but Alan Shearer says he does not have a problem with it, stating: “If he’s the outstanding candidate, yeah.
“There’s no doubt he’s got an incredible CV, what he’s won and managing at the highest level, working with superstars. But this is going to be a very, very different test for him. It’s a bold move from the FA, there’s no doubt about it.
“We need a trophy, it’s as simple as that. And we need a manager that can deliver that.”
Gary Lineker reveals his choice for England manager
Gary Lineker has revealed who his preferred choice for the England manager’s job is.
Thomas Tuchel is set to be appointed by the FA but, speaking on his The Rest is Football podcast, Lineker admitted he would have gone in a different direction.
“I’d have given the job to [interim boss] Lee Carsley,” he said. “I have seen enough to suggest to me the players really trust him.
“And he is imaginative enough to produce something that is a joy to watch, is entertaining and front-footed football. I’d have gone for Lee Carsley (but) it is not my job to pick people like that.”
How would England line up under Thomas Tuchel?
There’s no shortage of talent at his disposal, so how could Thomas Tuchel assemble his England side? Jack Rathborn ponders the options:
How would England line up under Thomas Tuchel?
The German is the favourite to become the next permanent Three Lions head coach ahead of Lee Carsley, with Pep Guardiola also linked with the job
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