Thomas Tuchel hopes he can win over critics as England manager

Thomas Tuchel says he is “honoured and excited” after being unveiled as new England head coach, admitting it’s a “big job”.

The German, who formerly managed Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, will become the third non-Englishman to hold the post permanently after Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello, from 1 January.

At a Wembley press conference, Tuchel said: “I’m obviously very excited and honoured to be here today as the new head coach of England.

“I want to take the opportunity to thank the FA for their trust and I am very excited to start this journey in January with a very special and exciting group of players to make our dream come true in America.

“I understood very quickly that it is a big job, I think always the job you are in is the biggest job and it makes no sense to compare but it feels big and feels like a privilege.”

Tuchel addressed the critics who believe an Englishman should lead the national team and offered words of reassurance.

“I’m sorry, I have a German passport,” he added.

“All of those supporters maybe felt my passion for the English Premier League and the country and how I love to live and work here.

“Hopefully I can convince them and show them and prove to them I am proud to be an English manager and do everything to show respect to this role and this country and the target for the next 18 months.”

Tuchel admits the prospect of moving from club football to the international game is something he is relishing.

“It is very new because I come from club football but the new role is also very exciting,” he said.

“Once I made a timeframe up in my mind from January to the World Cup I felt already excited and it suited my passion to push this group of players and to be part of this federation with such a strong record in the last tournaments to push it over the line and to try to put a second star on the shirt.”

The 51-year-old, who will be assisted by coach Anthony Barry, will take up the role on 1 January ahead of the World Cup qualifying campaign.

Barry served as an assistant coach for the Republic of Ireland during former Boys in Green senior manager Stephen Kenny’s tenure from February 2021 to 2022.

The former midfielder, who spent his playing career in the English lower leagues, has previously worked with Tuchel at Chelsea and Bayern Munich and is currently assistant to Portugal boss Roberto Martinez.

A Football Association statement revealed Tuchel signed a contract on 8 October before the latest round of international fixtures but the announcement was delayed to “minimise distraction around the international camp”.

Prior to Thursday’s home defeat by Greece, interim head coach and former Ireland midfielder Lee Carsley had widely been considered the favourite to land the job on a permanent basis.

The recruitment process began following Gareth Southgate’s resignation in July, with several candidates interviewed, leading to Tuchel being identified as the preferred appointment.

Carsley will remain in charge for the final round of Nations League matches next month when Ireland visit Wembley and the English make the away trip to Greece, before returning to his role as Under-21 boss.

England captain Harry Kane has welcomed the appointment of Tuchel as the national team’s new head coach.

Kane played under the German at Bayern Munich last season, scoring 44 goals in 45 games.

England’s record goalscorer wrote on X: “Looking forward to playing under the boss again!”

Former England defender Gary Neville rates Tuchel highly but fears his appointment could have a damaging impact on coaching in the country.

Neville told Sky Sports News: “He is a great coach, he’s got a proven track record. He’s a winner and he knows he can work with big players and handle big personalities. He ticks every single box.

“I’d love Thomas Tuchel to be a coach in the Premier League. We need the best coaches, we thrive on that. You can’t deny what Thomas Tuchel is.

“All I’m saying is English coaching is in a worse position today than it was yesterday.

“I think everyone will wish him all the best and hope he can get over the line and win a trophy but I think there are some serious questions for the FA to answer in respect of English coaches. I do think we are damaging ourselves.

“With the likes of Graham Potter and Eddie Howe, I do think there are outstanding candidates that could have been appointed that are English.”

Alan Shearer believes the FA acted quickly to bring in Tuchel because of the possibility he could become Manchester United manager.

Tuchel had been out of work since leaving Bayern at the end of last season and had been heavily linked with United should the club dispense with the services of Erik ten Hag.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola had also been a name in the frame and former England striker Shearer told The Rest is Football podcast: “If they sounded out Pep, fine, he’s the best manager in the world.

“You then have to look at what’s available to you. They’ve looked at Thomas Tuchel and have thought there is a chance he could get the Manchester United job pretty soon.

“So opportunity lies now. If they didn’t act quick they weren’t going to get one of the outstanding candidates for the job.”

Tuchel’s nationality will not sit well with some fans and another former England forward, Gary Lineker, admits he has mixed feelings over that issue.

Lineker said: “I don’t think it is imperative (to have an English manager). I’m not going to lose sleep over it but my personal preference would be that England has an English coach.

“For some reason English football hasn’t produced a plethora of brilliant coaches. Why that is, I don’t know.

“I respect Thomas Tuchel as a coach. I think he’s really clever. No-one will care one iota (about his nationality) if England somehow manage to win the World Cup.

“He will have done this because he would have looked at this squad and gone, ‘My goodness there’s so much talent in there’.

“This is an unbelievable opportunity of winning the greatest trophy of all and boy would I love him to do it.”

Another former England striker, Michael Owen, met Tuchel’s appointment with enthusiasm, writing on X: “Top quality appointment made with the new @England manager.

“A proven winner with a great understanding of the English game. My only disappointment is that he’s not English.”