FA defends Thomas Tuchel work from home agreement as England boss allowed to skip Premier League games for regular Germany trips

Tuchel, who succeeded Gareth Southgate as England manager in October last year, officially commenced his duties at the start of the new year. However, concerns have emerged as he has not been present at any Premier League matches over the last three game weeks, despite his tenure being only a little over six weeks old.

Upon beginning his new role, Tuchel attended four matches during his first weekend in charge in early January. However, he was notably absent for both midweek Carabao Cup semi-final first legs and missed a full weekend of FA Cup third-round fixtures. The 51-year-old subsequently increased his attendance, watching seven games over six days from January 14 to 22. His presence included major fixtures such as the north London Derby and Manchester City’s Champions League encounter against Paris Saint-Germain. More recently, Tuchel has been seen monitoring English players abroad, including a visit to Milan on February 2 to observe Kyle Walker at his new club.

In a statement to The Times, the FA has defended giving Tuchel the flexibility to work remotely, after allowing him to balance his responsibilities with regular trips to Germany to visit his family. The governing body has emphasised that Tuchel maintains a base in London and has been highly active in scouting players.

An FA statement said: “Thomas has attended 17 matches - in England and abroad - to watch English players since he joined in January, and is working full-time to assess players for his first squad announcement next month.”

This arrangement is not unprecedented, as England women’s team head coach Sarina Wiegman has similarly managed her role while commuting from her home in the Netherlands.

Nonetheless, when Tuchel was first unveiled as England’s new manager, he spoke of his enthusiasm for returning to England, referencing his prior successful tenure with Chelsea.

"I love to live in England and I’m looking forward to living again in England," Tuchel said. "I want to be close to the Premier League, I want to be close to the majority of the players. The schedule will allow me to be close to my family and my children in Germany. But yeah, I will be in England most of the time. I am sorry to have a German passport but I can just tell them (fans) and maybe the supporters can feel my passion for the English Premier League, my passion for the country, how I love to live and work here."

Tuchel’s first test as England manager will come on March 21 in a World Cup qualifier against Albania, followed by another fixture against Latvia. With his squad announcement expected soon, all eyes will be on his selections and how he manages the team moving forward.