Thomas Tuchel discusses anthem and pressure at England unveiling – live | England

The importance of being English, by Barney Ronay.

Why was Mark Bullingham vague when asked about how many candidates he had interviewed? On numerous occasions, he said “approximately 10” or “about 10”. Does he not know exactly how many he interviewed?

I really hope he wears a tracksuit in the dugout, something is off with the suit. I think I’m right in saying the last permanent manager to wear a tracksuit on the sidelines was Kevin Keegan in 2000, although I’m happy to be corrected.

Another shout out for today’s episode of Football Weekly.

Anthony Barry will be Tuchel’s assistant manager. Here is a quick-run down of the Liverpool-born 38-year-old’s coaching career to date, courtesy of PA Media.

Barry had an unheralded playing career as a midfielder in the lower divisions. He progressed through the Everton youth ranks but was released at 18 and went on to play at Coventry, Accrington, Yeovil, Fleetwood, Forest Green, Chester and Wrexham.

Barry began his coaching career when he joined Paul Cook’s backroom staff at Wigan in 2017. He stayed with the Latics for three years before being taken to Chelsea by Frank Lampard, whom he had crossed paths with while studying for his Pro-Licence. Lampard soon departed but he stayed on at Stamford Bridge to work under his successors Tuchel and Graham Potter.

Barry’s big break came with a dissertation he wrote for his Pro-Licence. His detailed analysis of 16,380 throw-ins made a mark on Lampard and he has since gone on to establish himself as a set-piece expert.

Tuchel was impressed by Barry at Chelsea and the pair developed a strong friendship during a period in which they won the Champions League. Tuchel was sacked by Chelsea in September 2022 but returned for Barry when he was appointed at Bayern Munich the following year. England will be their third job together.

It will not be Barry’s first foray into international football, having briefly worked with the Republic of Ireland and also under Roberto Martinez with both Belgium and Portugal.

Jamie Carragher has been speaking on Sky:

I thought he came across really well. He’s got charisma, he’s got personality. You can see the confidence, perhaps compared to Lee Carsley. He seems like he’s a good fit, certainly in terms of handling the media. But I think, if we’re being honest, he’d rather be coaching a top club side rather than England. Maybe that’s why he’s signed an 18-month deal.

Don’t want to give too much oxygen to Anthemgate, but Tuchel sensibly kicked that can down the road. Here’s a reminder of what he said in his press conference when asked if he will sing the national anthem.

I have not made my decision yet. Your anthem is very moving. I have experienced it a few times, at the FA Cup final for example. I have until March. I will always show my respect to the country. But I will take my time.

I couldn’t care less about whether the England manager sings a song (or the anthem in general) but a lot of people do care about it in this country. It was a sensible move to show the anthem (and those people’s feelings) respect, rather than just laughing it off.

Remarkable that Tuchel’s lowest win percentage in his last four jobs is 60%. Sir Alex Ferguson ended his 26-year stint as Manchester United manager with a 59.67% win-rate, having recorded 895 victories in 1,500 games.

That fourth picture stirs something in me.

Kane must be delighted with Tuchel’s appointment, given his form under the German at Bayern last season. There will be others that are on the outside of the England squad at the moment – Mason Mount, Reece James, Eric Dier, Ben Chilwell (if he can get a move in January away from Chelsea) – who will hope they can play their way back into the reckoning.

That’s all for now. That was a job well done from Tuchel, who appeared confident yet humble.

Bullingham is asked about whether any other candidates turned the job down.

The FA’s CEO dodges the question, simply reiterating his earlier answer that there were around 10 candidates and he believes they have the best man or woman for the job.

Tuchel on whether he intends to keep Kane as captain:

Everyone knows how I feel about Harry. I fought very hard to bring him to Bayern. He is already on his way to being a legend. But it’s too early to make these decisions [about the captaincy]. I want to give the respect to Lee [Carsley] and not interfere [with the next two games].

Tuchel on whether he spoke to Harry Kane before the appointment:

I spoke to nobody. We kept the process very confidential. I didn’t speak to Harry [Kane]. I didn’t speak to Gareth [Southgate].

Tuchel on the length of his contract. The FA had not previously confirmed the widely-reported figure of 18 months.

It’s 18 months and then we decided to sit together and let’s see. It’s a little bit of a step into the unknown for me. I am used to have the daily influence on 40-60 people. This will be very different. To understand that this is something that will excite me is the timeframe. It will help us to keep focus. It will help us to communicate. We are here to work on the best possible outcome for the World Cup.

“I am working on my long-term game”, he adds, jokingly.

Somebody asks a question in German.

“English questions from now on”, an ominous-sounding press officer barks.

Tuchel offers to translate and answers in English.

“We will try to take the next step”.

Tuchel:

We have the ingredients. We can install patterns and behaviours from club football to push us over the line. We will need luck, we will need to avoid injuries. But most important is to prove ourselves. You are a national player every single day. I am a national manager every single day, not just on this campus. We must live up to those standards. Then, special things can happen.

Tuchel:

I am up for the pressure. I am up to the task. These are all the reasons to jump in. The pressure on the personal side, the media, is never part of the decision making. Sure, I feel it in the process. But my love and passion for the game is always much more than the negative.

Tuchel on whether he will sing the national anthem:

I have not made my decision yet. Your anthem is very moving. I have experienced it a few times, at the FA Cup final for example. I have until March. I will always show my respect to the country. But I will take my time.

Tuchel:

The job is just about football, and I wasn’t sure about that before I went to the interview. It suits my way of working. I always wanted to return to England. It’s here that I have the best memories. I know there are some trophies missing. I want to help to make it happen.

Tuchel:

We will build on Southgate’s work. You look at the last results, it’s outstanding. The under-21s win titles. The women’s team win titles. We are there, the federations is there. There is a different schedule than club football but the quality is there. We can combine ideas and build on what Gareth and the FA built.

Tuchel is asked what sort of personality he is:

I am very emotional. We will play with passion and emotions. We will try to have rules as soon as possible to make the dreams come true.

Bullingham:

We interviewed about 10 candidates and there were some English candidates within that.

The FA’s CEO refuses to divulge any more details.

Tuchel:

It’s the biggest job in world football. I am sorry that I have a German passport but I give the greatest respect to the country.

Bullingham is asked about appointing a foreign manager:

We just wanted the best person for the job. We owe it to the nation and the players to do that. We feel we have done that. We are delighted that Thomas has joined us.

When asked if this is his biggest job.

It’s not fair to compare. This job suits my passion. I want to push it over the line and try to put a second star on the shirt.

Tuchel speaks:

I’m excited and honoured to be here. I just read a quote from Pele in the building and it said: ‘Wembley is the heart, the capital and the cathedral of football’, and I think he is absolutely right. It’s a very special group of players to make our dream come true in America.

Mark Bullingham, CEO of the FA, is first to speak:

Our aim is to win a major tournament and we believe Thomas gives us the best possible chance to do that. Thomas was outstanding in his interview, and how he would work with our players to get the best out of them. I’d like to thank Lee Carsley. He’s handled himself really well. Lee will return to the under-21s.

Right, it’s 1.30pm BST. Thomas Tuchel is just about to take his seat at his first press conference. He’s all smiles and is wearing a suit! No tracksuit here, very serious. Yes, yes.

If manager news is your thing, try this on for size.

Anthony Barry, Tuchel’s new assistant who worked with the German at Chelsea at Bayern, made this statement:

For any Englishman in football, working with the national team is the pinnacle and I didn’t hesitate when Thomas asked me to come and join him again. I know what a great place St. George’s Park is and how much of an advantage it gives our England teams, and the support it gives to coaches. This squad is very talented and have done so much to bring the country together, I look forward to meeting and working with them on this exciting project.

The latest Football Weekly podcast is well worth a listen: Max Rushden is joined by Barry Glendenning, Jonathan Liew and Paul Watson to discuss Thomas Tuchel’s arrival.

An email from Patrick Treacy on the difference between cup football and international football:

Tuchel is a fine coach with an excellent track record at club level, especially in knockout competitions and I see why the FA see him as the person to get them over the line at a major tournament. However, cup football and tournament football are not necessarily the same things. Whatever anyone says about Southgate, he was brilliant at tournament football, hence England’s drastically improved record under him vs. previous decades. And arguably with a less talented team. He found balance, which is extraordinarily difficult at any level of football, and he brought harmony and seriousness as well as enjoyment back to a difficult environment. He’s been underestimated imho.

Hi everyone. Well nourished, yep. Me 1-0 Moussaka. Right, we are around 25 minutes away from Tuchel’s first press conference. To Wembley!

Right, Michael’s back and well nourished (I trust), so he’ll talk you through the afternoon. Bye.

Lunchtime listening: Football Weekly has dropped, in which you can listen to Max Rushden, Barry Glendenning, Jonathan Liew and Paul Watson talk all things Tuchel, and more:

Just a reminder that the big Tuchel introductory press conference is coming up at 1.30pm. In the meantime, Sky is trying to burnish his all-important bantz credentials by digging up a clip of him trying to learn Cockney rhyming slang (and not really grasping it, if we’re honest) during his Chelsea tenure. Also, since when was Steffi Graf, rather than “giraffe” slang for “laugh”?

Some more cogent comment from BTL, this from Zippy’s Teeth:

You look at comparable nations – italy, germany, france, spain – and what they all have in common, apart from winning and reaching multiple finals over several decades, is a steady supply of top coaches who often emerge from within. Löw was assistant before stepping up, the spanish dude who won this years euros was u21s coach. There is a culture at club and association level of developing coaches and giving them a go. Doesnt always work but often it does. Guardiola became barca coach after being the reserves coach.

That culture seems alien, so far, in english club football. A top manager stands down or is fired and there is a clamour for some new, ready-made stardust coach.

The closest english football has come to emulating the mindset of nurturing new coaches is, ironically, in the national team set up. Southgate was instrumental in creating a club ethos in england, of the different age groups pulling in the same way and a clear progression path for coaches. This has also coincided with englands most successful spell in ages (abetted it must be said with some kind tournament draws). And yet Southgate is chased away by press and fans who demanded stardust. If tuchel fails then there is every risk that england will go back to the merry go round of random appointments and the gains in continuity are lost.

For what its worth, the other uk nations arent much better. There is no heir apparent to steve clarke in scotland and scottish clubs are not promoting from within as they used to. Wales and NI ditto. Though there is also much less of a circus compared with england, more a sense of lets get on with it when new appointments are made.

The fact that the appointment of Tuchel was decided on 8 October, two days before the fun and frolics of the Greece defeat, makes all the contortions and confusions of those Carsley press conference seem almost a tad, well, cruel. Like the whole thing – including the game against Greece itself – was some kind of situationist prank, an elaborate piece of performance art.

A bit more reaction anyhow. Alan Shearer reckons they jumped in for Tuchel now to head off Manchester United when/if Erik ten Hag gets binned, reports PA Media. “You then have to look at what’s available to you. They’ve looked at Thomas Tuchel and have thought there is a chance he could get the Manchester United job pretty soon. So opportunity lies now. If they didn’t act quick now they weren’t going to get one of the outstanding candidates for the job.”

Shearer does not have a problem with the whole German manager thing, saying: “If he’s the outstanding candidate, yeah. There’s no doubt he’s got an incredible CV, what he’s won and managing at the highest level, working with superstars. But this is going to be a very, very different test for him. It’s a bold move from the FA, there’s no doubt about it. We need a trophy, it’s as simple as that. And we need a manager that can deliver that.

“I hope they have spoken to English managers. I am reliably told they didn’t speak to Eddie Howe, which is a surprise to me as he’s the outstanding English candidate. I’m happy in a way because Newcastle are not going to lose their manager.”

His fellow former England striker turned broadcaster Gary Lineker concurred, adding: “I don’t think it is imperative (to have an English manager). I’m not going to lose sleep over it. But my personal preference would be that England has an English coach.

“For some reason English football hasn’t produced a plethora of brilliant coaches. Why that is, I don’t know. I think that will happen. We are starting to see really good coaches coming through. But I think the reason that we have not produced great coaches is the fact that we were stuck in the past in terms of long-ball football. We were behind everybody else.”

While Gary Neville told Sky Sports News: “It’s not really about Thomas Tuchel, but there is an element of disappointment in my head that the FA have gone to an international coach. I think he is a great coach. He has taken a job with a group of talented players and I think everyone will wish him all the best and hope he can get over the line and win a trophy.

“But I think there are some serious questions for the FA to answer in respect of English coaches. I do think we are damaging ourselves. Accepting that Thomas Tuchel is better than any of the other English candidates, but with the likes of Graham Potter and Eddie Howe, I do think there are outstanding candidates that could have been appointed that are English.”

Thanks Michael. Good afternoon everyone as this Big Day Of Opinions continues. Looking back at those newspaper back pages, what strikes is that none of them would have been a surprise to anyone who’d just woken up from 1994 after a 30-year sleep (though witchcraft such as internet live blogs would have spooked them). Even the jokey ones about winning on penalties are totally outdated, with England now one of the best teams at penalty shootouts in world football. Other than that, lads, well done, and crack on …