Amidst fan division over Thomas Tuchel’s appointment as England manager, there is no denying that he suits the job.
From achieving three titles on the international stage with Chelsea to his trophy-laden managerial career and managerial quality, Tuchel is considered one of the top managers around.
Critics though are harshly finding ways to demean his appointment before he has even taken charge of a match as England manager, yet he clearly has the ability to do something special with the squad come 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Title Success on Global Stage
Although it is easy to argue for an English manager like Eddie Howe, Graham Potter or Sean Dyche to take charge, there isn’t really a home-grown manager who knows how to deliver major title success.
Tuchel therefore arguably is the best fit because whilst he has eight domestic titles across spells at Borussia Dortmund, PSG and Bayern Munich, his best success came on the global stage with Chelsea.
Having replaced Frank Lampard in late January 2021 without time to make signings, Tuchel took Chelsea to the UEFA Champions League title five months later, followed by the UEFA Cup months later.
He eventually followed up that success on a even more global stage with the 2021 FIFA Club World Cup title, underlining his qualities with well-executed wins over Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal then Brazil’s Palmeiras.
International football though is a completely different ball game but given his major global club tournament success with an English team, Tuchel knows how to win on the international stage with the English game’s identity.
In his first official interview following his unveiling, Tuchel even spoke of wanting “… to implement a style that reflects the Premier League.”
If that doesn’t showcase his understanding of not just England but the national game’s domestic premier competition, you have to be really fussy to argue against him when he has experienced the club side already.
Right Manager at Right Time
Beyond his international success with Chelsea, Tuchel simply found himself as the right manager available at the right time following his departure from Bayern this summer.
This factor plus his managerial qualities which includes tactical flexibility added further validation to his appointment, with fans wanting more tactical flexibility and ruthlessness than seen under Gareth Southgate.
From the FA’s perspective, Tuchel also was a cost-efficient appointment because of his free agent status in contrast to Howe or Dyche for example, who would of required a compensation fee paid to Newcastle or Everton for their services.
Those factors mean that Tuchel’s appointment should be welcomed because there is no better manager available now, especially with the coaching qualities and title-winning experience that he has.
Some of the alternatives include Frank Lampard, Graham Potter and Xavi who don’t yet scream senior international managerial potential, whilst Joachim Low and Tite are in their twilight years at a time when England are on the rise.
Style Suits Fans’ Demands
Throughout a lacklustre Euro 2024 campaign despite finishing runners-up to eventual champions – Spain, fans and mainstream media demanded attacking football but were met with Southgate’s same-old high-pressing style.
Throw in the fact that players like Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Harry Kane had strong seasons, yet Southgate didn’t maximise their form and skills with more brave tactics to suit their attacking ability.
Lee Carsley’s attacking approach in terms of formation against Greece meanwhile was just awful before a ball had even been kicked, showing why we needed a top manager hence why Tuchel was the right fit at this time to take the helm.
Tuchel though is a manager who has a strong flexibility to his playing style and tactics which will only benefit England, in-turn allowing their best talent to shine come the World Cup.
Fans therefore should be happy that Tuchel has taken on what many consider the ‘impossible job’, because he might just be the perfect manager to take the Three Lions to glory for the first time since 1966.
We also shouldn’t forget that whereas Sven Goran-Eriksson and Fabio Capello failed with the men, Sarina Wiegman proved that foreign managers can achieve success with England after their Women’s Euro 2022 exploits.
Any whinging about Tuchel being German and that England should be only managed by Englishmen is therefore just pure silliness for the sake of it, and frankly attention-seeking lunacy instead of giving him a chance like a proper person.
