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:
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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