Tuchel appears to be leading candidate for Three Lions’ top job

In a significant development for English football, Thomas Tuchel is reportedly in negotiations with the Football Association (FA) to succeed Gareth Southgate as the national team manager.

This comes after Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola was also approached regarding his interest in taking over the role when his contract expires at the end of the season.

Tuchel, 51, gained widespread acclaim in 2021 when he led Chelsea to Champions League victory, though his tenure was unexpectedly cut short in early 2023. Since then, he has been consistently mentioned as a frontrunner for the England job, particularly following Southgate's resignation after the team's disappointing defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final this past July.

According to reports from Sky Sports, Tuchel's experience and previous successes have placed him in "pole position" for what many anticipate will be a long-term appointment. However, the FA has opted to remain tight-lipped on the potential of Tuchel’s appointment, marking an air of uncertainty that surrounds the future of the national team.

While the FA looks for a permanent successor, Lee Carsley has taken the reins on an interim basis since August, initially intended to lead the team through the Nations League campaign across three international windows. Under his guidance, the team has achieved three wins but also suffered a disappointing home defeat to Greece, a result that may have tempered hopes for his long-term appointment.

Carsley, who previously led the Under-21s, has conveyed mixed signals about his desire for the role, stressing that the selection process should focus on finding the best candidate, irrespective of nationality. This sentiment echoes the precedents set during the tenures of foreign coaches, such as Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello.

"We've seen in the past that we've had different nationalities coach the team," Carsley noted. "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."

As the landscape of English football management evolves, the final decision could hinge on the performances during the upcoming international windows, as well as the FA's willingness to seek the right fit, whether from local or international talent.

AFP