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:
Pressure of England role doesn’t phase Tuchel
Thomas Tuchel was asked if he had thought about the increased pressure and scrutiny that comes with being the England manager and he replied: “This is the last thing I think about.
“I’m up for the pressure on the sporting side and the challenge and the big task. These are the reasons to jump in. The pressure on the personal side or from the media if things don’t go well is never part of the thinking.”
Tuchel says England job is a ‘privilege'
More from the new England boss who says: “It’s a big job and it doesn’t make a lot of sense to compare. It feels like a privilege. It’s very new because I come from club football. I’m very excited by it.
“I want to get the best out of these players. It’s pretty obvious I am very emotional and I love what I am doing, I’m passionate about football. This task and this role, it brought the young me alive. I’m excited for the big task of the Three Lions and playing at Wembley.
“We will do it with passion and emotion. We have to go through the qualification process to the World Cup and it starts for us in January.”
‘I’m sorry, I just have a German passport'
When asked about his response to the fans who would prefer an English manager, Thomas Tuchel says: “I’m very excited and honoured to be here as new head coach of England. I read a quote from Pele at the entrance saying Wembley is the heart of football and I agree.
““I’m sorry, I just have a German passport. Maybe these supporters felt my passion for the Premier League and the country, how I love to live here and work here. Hopefully, I can convince them and show them how I am proud to be the England manager. I am proud.”
Bullingham’s opening remarks
FA Chief Executive Mark Bullingham kicked off the press conference by saying: “This is a really exciting day for the English game. We have appointed one of the very best coaches in the world and one of the best young English coaches as his number two.
“Our aim is always to win a major tournament. We believe Thomas gives us the best possible chance to do that at the next men’s World Cup.”
Thomas Tuchel’s first press conference
Tuchel starts off his press conference with a fine quote from Pele. He says that “Wembley is the heart, the cathedral of football. He is absolutely right.”
Thomas Tuchel’s first press conference
Tuchel says he is ‘very excited and honoured’ to be the new England manager. He says it feels ‘big’ and is a privilege to take on the role which he expects to be different and new from that as a club manager.
Thomas Tuchel’s first press conference
FA CEO Mark Bullingham says that Thomas Tuchel has been appointed with the aim of winning the World Cup in 2026.
He says over the course of the summer the FA had outlined the profile of what they want from the England manager and says that Tuchel was an ‘outstanding candidate’.
Thomas Tuchel’s press conference
The new England manager is due to hold his first press conference at Wembley today. That is just about to begin so we’ll find out what he had to say about taking on the role shortly...
Thomas Tuchel targets World Cup glory after being named England head coach
Thomas Tuchel has targeted winning the World Cup in 2026 after his appointment as the new England head coach was confirmed.
The former Chelsea, Paris St Germain and Bayern Munich manager becomes the third non-Englishman to hold the post after Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello.
Thomas Tuchel targets World Cup glory after being named England head coach
The German will take up the role in January after signing an 18-month deal.
Thomas Tuchel: The tactical ‘genius’ who won trophies and lost friends at PSG, Chelsea and Bayern
Thomas Tuchel had many influences and mentors through the fledgling years of his coaching career, most notably Ralf Rangnick and Jurgen Klopp. But perhaps the most intriguing was a German scientist, Professor Wolfgang Schollhorn.
Schollhorn advocated the benefits of ‘differential learning’, in which the student’s environment is constantly disturbed and disrupted, forcing them to come up with new solutions rather than simply repeating the same motions.
“If we want to have extraordinary performance, we need to train extraordinarily!” went Schollhorn’s maxim.
Thomas Tuchel: The tactical ‘genius’ who wins trophies and loses friends
Tuchel has won a string of trophies at major clubs across Europe, memorably delivering the Champions League inside six months at Chelsea, but his eccentric methods and abrasive character caused damage along the way
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