Tuchel Set to Become New England Manager After Agreement with FA

Thomas Tuchel has reached an agreement with the Football Association (FA) to take over as the new manager of the England national team, as reported by Jonathan Northcroft, Paul Joyce, and Matt Lawton of The Times. The German coach is expected to be formally introduced as Gareth Southgate's successor in a press conference at Wembley on Wednesday.

At 51, Tuchel will be the first German-born coach to lead the England team, following in the footsteps of other foreign managers such as Fabio Capello and Sven-Goran Eriksson. Southgate stepped down from the role this summer after eight years in charge, following England's defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final.

Tuchel, a former manager of Chelsea and Bayern Munich, has been a leading candidate for the position since Southgate's departure. Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was also reportedly in contention, but Tuchel ultimately secured the role. Other English candidates considered included Graham Potter and Eddie Howe, according to sources reported by James Olley of ESPN.

Interim England coach Lee Carsley, who opted out of the running for the permanent position, commented earlier this week that nationality should not be a key factor in selecting the new manager. "I think it's important that the best candidate gets the job," Carsley said. "We've seen in the past that we've had different nationalities coach the team. The best candidate should get the job. I think we'd be putting ourselves in a corner if we didn't, and we didn't open our minds a bit."

Tuchel has been available since leaving Bayern Munich at the end of the 2023-24 season, where he won the Bundesliga in the previous campaign. His most notable achievement came in 2021 when he led Chelsea to win the UEFA Champions League. However, his time at Chelsea came to an end after disagreements with the club's ownership, Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali, led to his departure.

Tuchel has been linked with other high-profile jobs, including Manchester United, in recent years. He has publicly stated that he feels more appreciated in England than in his native Germany. "I feel that we are very critical with each other in Germany and especially with players or coaches and not only with me," Tuchel told ESPN earlier this year. "Pretty simple question ... I felt more appreciation in England, yes."

Tuchel's appointment is set to mark a new chapter for the England national team as they prepare for upcoming international competitions under new leadership.