Thomas Tuchel: England need manager who can deliver trophy - Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker on FA choice - BBC Sport
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Thomas Tuchel: England need manager who can deliver trophy - Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker on FA choice - BBC Sport

Oct 17, 2024

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Former England captain Alan Shearer says the Three Lions "need a manager who can deliver a trophy" following the appointment of German Thomas Tuchel as boss.

The 51-year-old Tuchel will be the third non-British permanent head coach of the England men's team when he officially starts work in January.

Tuchel, who won the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021, is tasked with leading England to the 2026 World Cup, where they will hope to end their 60-year wait for a major trophy.

"We need a trophy - it's as simple as that. We need a manager who can deliver that," Shearer said on The Rest Is Football, external podcast.

"There's no doubt [Tuchel] has an incredible CV, but this is going to be a very different test for him. It's a bold move from the FA, there's no doubt about it.

"You have to win the tournament, that's what he's been hired for. They [the FA] have seen the bunch of players are the best England have had for a long, long time."

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England had been without a permanent manager since Gareth Southgate resigned after eight years in charge following the Euro 2024 final defeat by Spain, with Lee Carsley holding the fort on an interim basis.

Now Tuchel can begin to plan for what the Football Association hopes will prove a fruitful reign.

"He [Tuchel] is a different kind of manager to Southgate," former England striker Gary Lineker told BBC Sport.

"He will be more of an aggressive coach in terms of playing on the front foot. He is tactically wise and I think he will be more offensive than Southgate.

"It will be interesting to see if he can make them gel and believe in themselves."

Southgate is the only manager other than 1966 World Cup winner Sir Alf Ramsey to reach a major tournament final with the England men's team - doing so at Euro 2020 and Euro 2024.

"There is no question that England have the quality needed to challenge for trophies and the upcoming World Cup. They have the ability throughout," Lineker added.

"Sometimes if you keep knocking on the door then it might just open, and I have no doubt it will with this England squad.

"It is just about belief, so hopefully Tuchel can instil that in them."

Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello are the only previous non-British permanent England men's managers, but unlike his predecessors Tuchel is familiar with English football - having managed Chelsea between January 2021 and September 2022.

"Tuchel will have looked at this squad and thought there is so much talent in there, this is an unbelievable opportunity of winning the greatest trophy of all," Lineker said on The Rest Is Football podcast.

"I would have given the job to Carsley. I have seen enough to suggest the players really trust him, that he's imaginative enough to produce something that is a joy to watch - entertaining front-footed football."

Former England defender Micah Richards said: "The point is we don't have an English candidate strong enough to take that job, that's one of the most interesting things.

"I was of the opinion that we don't need an English manager, just go out and get the best person for the job. I think Tuchel is an outstanding manager, a proven winner."

Thomas Tuchel won the Champions League, Fifa Club World Cup and Uefa Super Cup with Chelsea and has also won trophies in charge of Borussia Dortmund, PSG and Bayern Munich

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