With Gareth Southgate’s not-so-glorious exit following a second Euro final loss in a row, the England men’s football team were in need of a new manager, and in the past few weeks they have found their man. The appointment of Thomas Tuchel to the role has brought controversy to fans and pundits alike, mainly centred around one main question: should the England manager be English?
Only the third ever manager without English nationality, Tuchel has big boots to fill – despite his poor reputation, Southgate brought England to more finals in his stint as manager than they have ever been to before, and with multiple players in the Balon d’Or nominations this year, the former Bayern Munich and Chelsea coach will have a great team at his disposal; the fans will want results.
Lee Carsley, the former U-21s coach, took over as an interim head in the gap between Southgate’s resignation and Tuchel’s appointment, and despite winning three of his four games, fans called for his disposal after an embarrassing 2-1 loss to Greece, who rank 38 places below the Lions in the official FIFA rankings.
The controversy surrounding Tuchel training the esteemed job rises from the many possible English candidates who could have taken it instead – the names being circulated as possibilities for the role in the past month have included Newcastle coach Eddie Howe, current Evertonian head Sean Dyche, and even out-of-work Frank Lampard. Graham Potter, who also held the reins of Chelsea FC a few years after Tuchel’s departure, said that he “absolutely” believes an English skipper could win it all, though refused to say whether he personally had been interviewed.
Despite the long careers of the many homegrown options, none have the same accolades Tuchel can boast – a UCL trophy, French and German cups, and the coveted UFEA Manager of the Year award. It’s safe to say that, in terms of pure achievement, Tuchel is the man for the job.
In the case of the women’s team, the issue of a foreign coach is non-existent; Sarina Weigman has, in her 3 years as manager, picked up a Euros win and a transcontinental Finalissima, as well as a final in the World Cup last year. The Lionesses’ captain, Leah Williamson, has called Weigman an “honorary brit”, and the women’s football fanbase clearly accept her as their head coach – it was widely celebrated when her contract was extended earlier this year, lengthening her tenure to the 2027 World Cup.
One possible reason for the lack of English coaches is the licence system in place – managers need coaching badges to preside over clubs, and the means to gain one of these badges at a high level in England is incredibly difficult when compared to other top nations. The FA brings in over £300 million from these licences per year, with the methods to gain the Level 5 UFEA Pro badge – the one needed to manage a national club like England – costing over £20,000 total, compared to under £1,000 in Spain. This leads to the disparity in coaches’ nationalities – 1,700 English coaches hold a UFEA Pro or above coaching badge, as opposed to over 15,000 Spaniards.
So maybe the issue is not in the ability of English coaches; maybe the problem lies in how hard (and expensive) it is for an English manager to rise high enough in the managerial ranks to earn an adequate badge. Either way, the FA’s decision is final, and Tuchel is in to stay – what he manages to do with the English team is yet to be seen.