'Not a dream job' - Thomas Tuchel told England role was not fancied by Premier League's top bosses as it is 'massively challenging'

Tuchel, former Bayern Munich and Chelsea manager was officially announced as the man to lead the Three Lions into the 2026 World Cup, replacing Gareth Southgate, who stepped down after the 2024 European Championship. However, his appointment has sparked varied reactions from various fans and pundits as many wanted an English-born to be at the helm at St. George's Park.

It has been reported that Newcastle United’s Eddie Howe, another English manager linked with the job, was not approached by the FA due to the significant transfer fee his current club would have demanded. Meanwhile, other candidates, including former Brighton and Chelsea manager Graham Potter, were considered by the FA but were ultimately discarded in favour of Tuchel’s appointment.

However, according to Everton manager Sean Dyche, the position of the England manager is not as coveted as it once was. He revealed that several of his colleagues, including himself, were not enthusiastic about taking over from Southgate, emphasizing how challenging the role has become over time.

In an interaction with the media, Dyche noted: "I know most people would have liked an English coach to come in but Tuchel clearly has a record that says he can do it. Gareth did a fantastic job but there have also been plenty of other very good managers since we won the World Cup in 1966. t’s not disheartening for English coaches like me — and I certainly wasn’t one of the candidates.”

Leicester City’s Steve Cooper, who led England’s U-17 squad to World Cup victory in 2017, urged British managers to demonstrate their ability to compete on the world stage before criticizing decisions made by the FA and went on to insist that British coaches must seize every opportunity to succeed in international football if they hope to secure more prestigious appointments.

"Hopefully, over the course of time, British coaching will continue to improve and we’ll be right up there with the world’s best," he said.

“In the meantime, any opportunity we’re given, we have to take it and do a good job. Until we do that on a regular basis maybe we shouldn’t say so much. I really believe in British culture, I believe in the coaching education pathway as well. The ones I’ve been involved with have been the FA and FA of Wales, and they have been brilliant courses which have evolved over time. They develop coaches and educate coaches in the right way. But there’s no doubt the FA have appointed a top coach — and assistant with Anthony Barry — and hopefully they can carry on the progress of the last few years.”

Tuchel is set to officially take over as England’s manager on January 1, 2025, with current interim coach Lee Carsley continuing to lead the team through the Nations League matches in November against Greece and Ireland.