Thomas Tuchel named England new manager

Former Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel has been announced as England's new head coach, the Football Association confirmed on Wednesday.

Tuchel, 51, will start work on Jan. 1, with interim boss Lee Carsley remaining in charge for next month's UEFA Nations League doubleheader against Greece and Republic of Ireland.

“We are thrilled to have hired Thomas Tuchel, one of the best coaches in the world and Anthony Barry who is one of the best English coaches to support him,” FA Chief Executive Mark Bullingham said in a statement.

Sweden’s Sven-Goran Eriksson was the first foreign manager to lead England, from 2001-06 and Italian Fabio Capello was in the job from 2008-12.

Tuchel's appointment concludes a search conducted by FA chief executive Mark Bullingham and technical director John McDermott which began in July following Gareth Southgate's decision to step down after England lost the Euro 2024 final to Spain.

In a statement, former Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Bayern Munich manager Tuchel said: "I am very proud to have been given the honour of leading the England team.

"I have long felt a personal connection to the game in this country, and it has given me some incredible moments already. To have the chance to represent England is a huge privilege, and the opportunity to work with this special and talented group of players is very exciting."

Tuchel's new assistant will be Anthony Barry. The pair originally met at Chelsea before Tuchel convinced Barry to join Bayern in April 2023. Barry, 38, has previously worked with Belgium and Republic of Ireland before most recently forming part of Portugal's backroom team under Roberto Martinez.

Tuchel said: "Working closely with Anthony as my assistant coach, we will do everything we can to make England successful and the supporters proud. I want to thank the FA, in particular Mark and John, for their trust and I am looking forward to starting our journey together."

The FA view Tuchel's arrival as a significant coup given they set themselves the target of securing a candidate with a "strong track record delivering results in the Premier League and/or leading international competitions."

Tuchel has won 11 major honours including the 2021 Champions League with a Chelsea side that featured several England internationals including Reece James, Ben Chilwell and Mason Mount, who has since joined Manchester United. Tuchel also worked with England captain Harry Kane at Bayern before his departure at the end of last season.

Tuchel will become the third foreign manager to take charge of England but the first from Germany. Sweden’s Sven-Goran Eriksson and Italian Fabio Capello also held the post.

Known for his progressive football, Tuchel replaced Frank Lampard at Chelsea in January 2021 and led them to the Champions League title that season, beating Manchester City in the final.

Lee Carsley, England’s under-21 manager, has been in temporary charge since the resignation of Gareth Southgate after England’s defeat by Spain in the Euro 2024 final in July.

Carsley had looked the favourite to land the role on a full-time basis but a shambolic home defeat by Greece in the Nations League on Thursday appears to have undermined his chances.

Manchester City’s serial title-winner Pep Guardiola was also reported to be in the mix but the Football Association has opted for Tuchel, who has been out of work since leaving Bayern Munich at the end of last season.

FORWARD THINKING

Bayern finished third in the Bundesliga, behind Bayer Leverkusen and VfB Stuttgart — the first time they failed to win the title since 2011-12.

Tuchel built his reputation as a forward-thinking tactician in the Bundesliga after taking over from Juergen Klopp at Mainz 05 in 2009.

When Klopp left Borussia Dortmund at the end of the 2014-15 campaign, Tuchel also replaced him there, leading the team to German Cup success in 2017.

He joined Paris St Germain the following year, replacing Unai Emery and winning back-to-back French league titles. Tuchel also took PSG to their first Champions League final in 2020, which they lost to Bayern, before leaving for Chelsea.

Tuchel was unbeaten in his first 14 matches for Chelsea in all competitions — a club record — and took them to Champions League glory against City.

His time at Bayern was mixed and he will now be tasked with finally getting England over the line in major competitions after several near misses under Southgate.

England, who have not won anything since the 1966 World Cup, reached a World Cup semi-final and two European championship finals under Southgate but fell just short despite boasting a squad full of world-class talent.

Southgate’s tactics often came under fire with many labelling him too conservative, and Tuchel’s task will be to harness the full attacking potential of the likes of Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and England’s record scorer Harry Kane.

He will also have to deal with the intense scrutiny that comes with one of the most challenging jobs in soccer.

According to British media reports, the FA informally reached out to Manchester City boss Guardiola at the start of the season. Guardiola’s contract expires at the end of the current campaign.

Carsley was hesitant when asked if he was interested in the permanent position, repeatedly saying his remit was to guide the team through six Nations League games.

He appeared to distance himself from the position after Sunday’s 3-1 win over Finland, when he said the job “deserves a world-class coach that has won trophies”.