Renowned manager Thomas Tuchel, who was reportedly one of the favorites to become Erik ten Hag’s successor at Manchester United, has said it was “straightforward” to come on board as England’s head coach. The German manager said his decision was for England not against Man Utd, suggesting he was simply more excited by the project FA chiefs John McDermott and Mark Bullingham presented.
Thomas Tuchel Is the New England Manager
Out of the blue, England announced Tuchel as their next manager on Wednesday, October 16. The German tactician is only the third foreign manager — after Swedish coach Sven-Goran Eriksson and Italian boss Fabio Capello — of the England national team.
Tuchel has signed a rather short-term contract with the Three Lions, with his current deal expiring at the end of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. England would have the liberty to sack him or extend his stay based on his team’s performance at the 2026 World Cup.
Tuchel will officially take charge of the first team on January 1, 2025, and current caretaker boss. This means Lee Carsley will return to coaching the U21 side.
Thomas Tuchel Explains Why He Did Not Join Manchester United
Before he became England manager, Tuchel was supposedly one of the frontrunners to replace struggling Ten Hag at Old Trafford. Naturally, everyone is curious to know why the former Bayern Munich and Chelsea manager opted to go into international management.
When asked about Manchester United, Tuchel told the press (via TeamTalk):
“The idea and the way John [McDermott] and Mark [Bullingham] presented it was very fast and confidential.
“It was very straightforward, it was a decision for this job and not against anything else,” Tuchel told the media when asked about Manchester United.”
He added:
“They made it clear it’s about football and that got me excited. I wasn’t sure this was the job for me because the schedule is very different. I always wanted to come back to England, that was my big goal.
“The offer came at the right time and we found a vision to share. Now I have to live up to it. I know there are some trophies and I want to help that happen.”
According to The Mirror, Manchester United held meetings with Tuchel over the summer. However, the two parties could not agree on the transfer policy, causing the move to collapse.
