Harry Redknapp has expressed his dismay at the FA’s decision to go for a foreign boss by hiring Thomas Tuchel as England manager.
The German tactician is set to take the reins as Gareth Southgate‘s successor, with a press conference set for 1.30pm at Wembley on Wednesday. The Football Association sealed the deal with Tuchel after talks on Tuesday.
Once he’s in the Three Lions hot seat, Tuchel will be the third non-Brit to manage England, following in the footsteps of Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello. But former Tottenham manager Redknapp, who won the FA Cup with Portsmouth and was once in the running for the England job, has hit out at the move.
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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.”
Tuchel has an impressive CV, with a Champions League win under his belt with Chelsea after defeating Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in the final in 2021, but his stints at Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich both underwhelmed. His appointment comes off the back of reports that the FA also talked with Guardiola too.
(Image: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
From the get-go after Southgate’s departure in July, the FA made it clear they would consider hiring a foreign manager. In the meantime, Under-21 coach Lee Carsley has been minding the shop for the team’s Nations League bouts this autumn.
Carsley had been considered a contender for the position, but his unclear ambitions had sparked renewed speculation in recent days, particularly after England’s loss to Greece last Thursday. As a result, the FA seemed likely to explore other options.
Tuchel, who has also previously managed Mainz and Borussia Dortmund, became available after parting ways with Bayern last summer. His appointment would reunite him with England captain and Bayern striker Harry Kane.
Earlier on Tuesday, Kane shared his thoughts on the possibility of Tuchel taking the reins, telling Sky Sports News: “I haven’t been told anything. Until it is announced I can’t really comment but obviously I know Thomas well from last year. He is a fantastic coach, a fantastic person. I’m sure the guys at the FA will contact me when they know more about it.”
Former England defender Stuart Pearce believes Tuchel will face high expectations, given Southgate’s success in leading the team to two major finals. Pearce, who earned 78 caps, told talkSPORT: “When Gareth left in the summer people were saying, ‘We need to go the next step.’
“Where is the next step from getting to finals and being runner-up? The next step is winning trophies. That will be the expectation and I think he’s got a really tough tournament in a year-and-a-half to attempt to win the World Cup in the (United) States, Mexico and Canada. That’s a tough prospect.”