Guardiola unavailable
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The article was first published on October 11th and was subsequently updated.
Thomas Tuchel is apparently in advanced negotiations with the English Football Association FA for the position of national coach. After the German broadcaster “Welt TV” initially reported on it last week, the English broadcaster “Sky Sports” followed suit on Tuesday. The FA identified Tuchel as the top candidate to succeed Gareth Southgate after it became clear that Pep Guardiola, who had also been asked, would not be available before the end of his contract in 2025.
Update 7:35 p.m.: As the Times reports, Tuchel and the English association have agreed to work together. Tuchel is due to be introduced as the new national coach this week.
The English national team around captain Harry Kane (31) from FC Bayern is currently being looked after by Lee Carsley on an interim basis after Southgate announced his resignation after losing the European Championship final against Spain. Carsley himself made it clear at the weekend that he would not apply for a permanent position as England coach. “This job deserves a world-class coach who has won trophies and been through everything,” he said after the 3-1 Nations League win in Finland. “I’m just on my way there.”
Former Bayern coach Tuchel is very popular in England
Tuchel has been without a job since leaving Munich in the summer. The 51-year-old continues to enjoy a good reputation in England, especially thanks to the Champions League triumph with Chelsea FC in 2021. He is also said to be very popular at Manchester United as a possible successor to the controversial Erik ten Hag.
Should Tuchel take over the national coaching job, he would be only the third foreigner to be entrusted with this task. The Swede Sven-Göran Eriksson (2000 to 2006) and the Italian Fabio Capello (2008 to 2012) had previously trained the Three Lions.
Guardiola, who like Tuchel is a former Bayern coach, did not rule out a future engagement as England coach at the weekend, but denied rumors of an immediate move from the English champions to the association on Italian television: “That’s not true. I’m the coach of Manchester City.” When asked about his future, he said: “I haven’t decided anything yet, anything can happen. So I don’t know.”
