Football with Faris: Is Thomas Tuchel the right man to manage England?

Can the German manager bring football back home?

You’d think England fans would froth at the mouth with the signing of renowned coach Thomas Tuchel. Yet, the reaction across the country has been quite mixed. Many disappointed old-school fans, including pundits Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville, are adamant the manager of the national team must be English, while other fans welcomed the announcement. That’s not to mention the surrounding controversy over him being German. What can’t be denied is that he’s currently up there with the best coaches in world football.

Why is Tuchel the right fit?

The most obvious answer is that he’s no stranger to English football and their talented group of players, having managed Chelsea. He clearly seems to admire England as a country and is already saying the right things, such as expressing his desire to add another star to the Three Lions badge. Arguably, the most important point is that he has become somewhat of a specialist in knockout football, which is exactly what England need. He’s won the DFB Pokal with Dortmund, taken PSG to their first-ever Champions League final, and then went on to win the Champions League and Club World Cup with Chelsea, whilst also coaching them to three English domestic cup finals. Tuchel has the tactical edge over his predecessor Gareth Southgate, which could very well take England over the line.

The English alternatives to Tuchel

Since there was a fuss over Tuchel’s nationality, just how do English managers square up? There are currently three English managers coaching in the Premier League, which is very telling. The favourite English option was Eddie Howe, but he’s the manager of Newcastle and was never contacted over the England job. The next consideration, Graham Potter, has been out of management for over a year since his exit from Chelsea following an extremely underwhelming spell – imagine the pressure of a whole nation weighing on your shoulders, never mind a big Premier League club. To put things further into perspective, the last English manager to win a major trophy was Harry Redknapp, with Portsmouth clinching the FA Cup in 2008. It begs the question: where does the arrogance from England fans and pundits come from that would turn their heads at a winner like Tuchel? Would the reaction have been the same if Pep Guardiola or Jurgen Klopp were appointed England manager? Perhaps some of the negativity is because England view Germany as a rival – although it’s not reciprocated by the Germans, as they view the Netherlands as their biggest rival. There certainly weren’t any grudges over Sarina Wiegman’s Dutch passport when the Lionesses were triumphant in the 2022 Euros final.

Have we seen this story before?

It can be argued England haven’t had the best history with foreign managers in Sven-Göran Eriksson and Fabio Capello, hence the country has steered clear of them until now. The key difference in this situation is that those managers were brought into the England set-up when they were well past their best, whereas Tuchel is at the peak of his powers and will be hungry to prove himself on the international stage. England will not want a repeat of the wasted ‘Golden Generation’ with this highly capable squad. So, the ruthless choice to bring in a proven foreign coach over an up-and-coming English manager could pay off handsomely. The appointment of an accomplished manager like Tuchel is a coup for England, and maybe he’ll be embraced completely if he can drag the country to the promised land.