On the 8th of October, 2024, Thomas Tuchel signed a deal to become the new permanent England manager, assuming his duties on the 1st of January, 2025. Amazingly, the FA and all concerned managed to keep this agreement a secret until it was officially announced on the 16th of October. There had been strong rumours the day before that a deal with the German former Chelsea manager was imminent but even so, in this day and age the effectiveness of keeping the deal under wraps until after England’s Nations League games is rather incredible.
It was decided that no formal announcement should be made until after England had played Greece and Finland. The FA wanted to limit any distraction, even though behind the scenes a deal was done. This may explain both interim manager Lee Carsley’s reluctance to come out and say he really wanted the job, and also the sub-par performances the Three Lions produced in both games.
Tuchel is well-remembered by fans at Chelsea, with many feeling that his dismissal was premature, to say the least. The former PSG and Borussia Dortmund man took over from Frank Lampard and whilst it would be unfair to say they were in disarray, he certainly had a positive impact very quickly.
In the run-up to Lampard’s sacking the club had lost five and won just two of their last eight Premier League matches. A good start to the season was souring, and by the end of December, they had dropped to sixth in the table, having played either one or two more games than the two sides above them and the two below them in the table.
The relatively inexperienced Lampard was always going to be up against it and knew he risked taking a little of the shine off his stellar playing career with the Blues when he took on the managerial reigns. Many did not want him to go, not least because the club had been third in the table just a few games earlier. However, sitting ninth at the time, the board felt they should act, and so in came Tuchel.
Tuchel Guides Blues to Biggest Prize
Tuchel’s first game as Blues boss was a 0-0 draw with Wolves. The Black Country outfit had beaten Chelsea just over a month earlier and it was a dominant performance from Tuchel’s men but they couldn’t find a goal. However, the new boss oversaw four league wins in a row afterwards, his side conceding just a single goal. In fact, he went his first 10 PL games undefeated, only losing one of his first 16.
These much-improved results helped the Blues finish fourth and qualify for the Champions League the following season – although as it turned out, they would not have to rely on their league placing. Tuchel had a very strong cup record with his previous clubs, his only silverware with Dortmund being the 2016/17 DFB-Pokal, whilst with PSG he won four cup competitions.
In his first season at the Bridge, he led Chelsea to two cup finals. The first was the FA Cup final against Leicester, which ended in defeat. However, two weeks after the 1-0 loss at Wembley, the club faced Manchester City in a much bigger clash – the Champions League final in Porto.
Tuchel demonstrated the tactical brilliance that will have been a big part of the FA’s decision to appoint him as England boss. They played a very compact, organised game, with three at the back and the wing-backs venturing neither too far forward nor too far wide. With Man of the Match N’Golo Kante outstanding, and Jorginho excellent alongside him, Chelsea restricted Pep’s favourites to just a single shot on target during the whole game.
Chelsea pressed very well and were excellent in transition and whilst the game was far from a classic, Tuchel got the result he wanted. Chelsea were deserving 1-0 winners and the new manager had capped an excellent season with the club’s second win in the Champions League.
Strong Second Season
This is one of the most difficult statements I have ever had to write – and it is one which I hoped I would not need to do for many years. I am devastated that my time at Chelsea has come to an end. pic.twitter.com/0TTlUOjWDx
— Thomas Tuchel (@TTuchelofficial) September 11, 2022
Optimism at the club was high, with fans hoping that Tuchel could return the club to the elite of English football. There seemed a mountain to climb, with Man City and Liverpool playing superb football and amassing huge points tallies in this period but after their Champions League win, there was good reason to believe the club had a man in charge who could bridge the gap to the top two.
2021/22 was a success for Tuchel and Chelsea, as they finished third in the table. They also made two cup finals, losing both of these on penalties to Liverpool. It was a case of fine margins in the CL too, as although a quarterfinal exit was not in the script, it was Real Madrid who knocked them out.
Los Blancos needed extra time to sneak past Tuchel’s men after Chelsea produced a stunning 3-1 win in Spain in the second leg. That Madrid would go on to lift the trophy shows just how close Chelsea were to another spectacular season. A penalty save here or there and a different outcome in extra time and they could easily have won two, or even three pieces of silverware.
Boehly’s Itchy Finger Strikes
In the 2022/23 season, the Blues would play under four different managers, Tuchel only lasting until early September. Todd Boehly took over in May 2022 and set about making radical changes, as well as splashing the cash. It didn’t work, in terms of new singings, results (although Tuchel was sacked after just six league games, which had brought 10 points) or, most of all, the relationship between the new board and Tuchel.
What Are England Getting?
Thomas Tuchel on his excitement to become the #ThreeLions‘ new head coach 🦁
— England (@England) October 16, 2024
After leaving west London, Tuchel took over as Bayern Munich boss in March 2023. He helped them secure an 11th successive Bundesliga title that season but partway through the next season it was announced he would be leaving at the end of the campaign. Bayer Leverkusen won the championship and in the end Bayern were third, although they made the final of the German Cup and semis in the Champions League.
The fact that Tuchel was available seems to have been a big factor in how he got the job, although it is clear he is a top-class manager. He will bring a new approach to England, though the same laser focus and player-centric management. He possesses greater tactical awareness and flexibility than Gareth Southgate though, and will also play a game more based on a high press and intensity. Let’s hope he can deliver the World Cup for England in the same way he did the Champions League for Chelsea!