Gary Neville Says Thomas Tuchel’s Appointment Leaves ‘Serious Questions’ For FA To Answer Over English Coaching

Gary Neville has raised concerns over the future of English coaching following the appointment of Thomas Tuchel as the new England manager, and believes that the move leaves ‘serious questions’ for the FA to answer.

The Football Association has officially confirmed the appointment of former Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel as the new permanent England manager, with the German due to take over from Lee Carsley in the new year.

Tuchel becomes just the third non-British coach to manage the Three Lions’ senior men’s side on a permanent basis, following in the footsteps of Fabio Capello and the late Sven-Goran Eriksson.

He is set to lead England as they embark on a new era following the resignation of Gareth Southgate after suffering defeat in the European Championship final last summer. The 51-year-old has reportedly penned an 18-month deal.

Reacting to his appointment, Tuchel said: “I am very proud to have been given the honour of leading the England team. I have long felt a personal connection to the game in this country, and it has given me some incredible moments already.

“To have the chance to represent England is a huge privilege, and the opportunity to work with this special and talented group of players is very exciting.”

Gary Neville, an 85-time former England international and the Three Lions’ former assistant manager, admitted that Tuchel is ‘probably the best available coach in the world’ right now, but said that the appointment raises ‘difficult questions’ for the FA to answer in regards to English coaching.

Gary Neville Feels ‘Element Of Disappointment’ Over Tuchel Appointment

Speaking to Sky Sports following the FA’s announcement, Neville said: “They’ve got a great coach, that is of no doubt. The FA cannot be any way criticised as they’ve probably got the best available coach in the world right now.

“I am not sure it fits the criteria of St George’s Park and the belief in English managers. It’s tough to get those jobs high in the Premier League still.

“So there is an element of disappointment in my head that they have gone to an international coach.

“The challenge for me is that I worked with Capello and Sven-Goran Eriksson, but I came to the conclusion that the damage to English coaching was significant. If we are not going to promote them in our own country then we can’t ask others to around Europe.

“Gareth Southgate had restored a faith in English players and manager ability.

“I think there are some serious questions for the FA to answer in respect of English coaching.”

Neville Says English Coaching Is ‘In A Rut’

Neville continued, claiming that the appointment of an international manager shows that English coaching is ‘in a rut’, and stated that the FA need to ‘build an identity’ to allow English coaches to flourish.

“What the FA have done doesn’t feel strategic, it seems quite instinctive. Tuchel has been available since the summer, so they didn’t need to appoint an interim manager. It smacks of it being quite a recent decision.

“Let’s be clear, Tuchel is better than any of the other English candidates. But the likes of Graham Potter and Eddie Howe show there were outstanding candidates that could have been appointed and that were English.

“The reputational damage English coaching has taken means we are now in a rut. We are one of the least respected nations when it comes to taking charge of a football team. We don’t have a clear identity and we haven’t got a coach that has built a style that is unique to us. We’ve just copied what others do.

“We need to build an identity and let English coaches flourish. St George’s Park was set up to do that. So I do think the FA have got some difficult questions to answer.”