Thomas Tuchel is said to be in talks to take over as the next manager of the England national team.
Here’s why the German – who has been without a job since he parted ways with Bayern Munich at the end of the last season – might be the ideal choice.
Why Tuchel’s Next England manager odds have shortened
Already familiar to fans in England, after managing Chelsea for 17 months from 2021 to 2022, Tuchel was previously mentioned as a possible successor to Erik ten Hag at Manchester United, but according to German news outlet Bild, he’s now leaning towards the England position.
During his time in London, Tuchel won the Champions League in his first season and also secured the Club World Cup. But that isn’t the only reason that bookmakers consider him a more attractive prospect, compared to Lee Carsley, who saw his odds of taking the job permanently lengthen in the wake of an embarrassing loss to Greece.
Those in favour of Tuchel taking the England role would assert that he combines the best aspects of Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola – the Premier League’s two most dominant managers of the past six years. There is, of course, the well-known core ingredient of ‘Gegenpressing’, where his teams aim to win the ball high up the pitch when out of possession, while playing with skillful passing when in possession.
In particular, Tuchel knows well how to construct a midfield rich in both creativity and agility, so Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham would thrive under the German – on paper at least. It was in this area that Lee Carsley fell so short in last week’s 2-1 home defeat to Greece, as he deployed five attackers from the outset, putting needless extra pressure on those providing defensive cover in the middle.
A cautionary note
Despite his talent, Tuchel hasn't been able to build a lasting legacy at the clubs he's coached. His perfectionist nature and high ambitions have caused issues. There’s also the inescapable fact that he is German, and for some England fans, it would detract somewhat from the joy of ending the Three Lions’ nearly six decade-long trophy drought.
The 4/1 second-favourite Carsley aside, other managers commanding odds shorter than 10/1 include Pep Guardiola (6/1), Graham Potter (8/1) and Eddie Howe (9/1). Guardiola would doubtless be well-received as the next permanent England manager, though Potter’s new market-best price is a curious entity, as it represents a halving of the 16/1 price he had late in September.
