Thomas Tuchel spoke openly about his positive experiences in England, as compared to Germany, during a difficult spell when he was Bayern Munich manager back in January
Thomas Tuchel set to become England manager
Thomas Tuchel may have decided to become England manager because he feels more appreciated outside of Germany.
Tuchel will be officially unveiled as the new Three Lions boss on Wednesday at Wembley Stadium, with a press conference scheduled for 1.30pm. The 51-year-old has agreed to an 18-month contract, which will start on January 1, 2025 and will see him to the end of the 2026 World Cup.
He will earn £5million per year as England manager – double the amount that his predecessor Gareth Soutgate received from the Football Association. His hiring is quite the coup for the FA, who appear to have opted for a big name in an attempt to end England’s wait for a major trophy.
Tuchel won the Champions League during his time as Chelsea manager and was keen to return to England. He takes the job after leaving Bayern Munich at the end of the 2023/24 season under a cloud following a falling out with the club’s hierarchy.
The German coach has a reputation for being extremely opinionated and, at times, difficult to work with – traits which have seen him struggle to hold onto jobs for long periods of time. He has not spent longer than two years at a club since leaving Mainz after five years in 2014.
Tuchel was sacked at Chelsea in September 2022 after clashing with co-owner Todd Boehly over transfers, but England still holds a special place in his heart. He considers himself an anglophile and, in an interview with ESPN in January, made a telling admission about his feelings towards the country.
Asked whether he felt more appreciated in England, he replied: “Yes, I feel that we are very critical with each other in Germany and especially with players or coaches and not only with me. It’s very hard to escape a certain drawer once you’re in the drawer. There is a picture and this picture is basically the picture for years and years. I felt more appreciation in England, yes, it’s just a fact, I’m not complaining.”
Tuchel took charge of 100 games at Chelsea, winning 60, drawing 24 and losing just 16 times. He oversaw their victory against Manchester City in the 2020/21 Champions League final and also picked up the Club World Cup title during his spell in charge.
The former Chelsea manager will face pushback from some, with ex-Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp likely speaking for many. He told Sky Sports News: “He’s lost his job quite quickly at a couple of clubs. It’s not like he’s been a massive success. He’s come and gone at a couple of clubs. I’m very patriotic, I think we should have an English manager but obviously the field was very small to choose from.”
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