England manager Thomas Tuchel explains why the decision was taken to only sign an 18-month contract.
New England manager Thomas Tuchel has suggested that ‘stepping into the unknown’ is the reason behind his decision to only pen an 18-month contract.
On Wednesday morning, the Football Association confirmed that they had chosen the former Chelsea and Bayern Munich head coach as the permanent successor to Gareth Southgate.
Interim boss Lee Carsley will continue in his role for November’s UEFA Nations League fixtures before Tuchel officially commences work on January 1.
Opinion will naturally be divided over the FA’s decision to appoint just the third foreign England manager in history, regardless of the 51-year-old’s success in the club game.
Furthermore, eyebrows have also been raised over a relatively short-term contract being signed by the German, only taking in one major tournament in the 2026 World Cup providing that the Three Lions qualify for the competition in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Nevertheless, during a press conference in the hours after the formal announcement, Tuchel told reporters of his satisfaction with agreeing a deal until the summer of next year.
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“It was important to have a frame”
Tuchel has been involved in club management since 2007, taking on roles with FC Augsburg II, Mainz 05, Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Bayern Munich.
His longest stint of the most recent four jobs came at PSG, where he lasted marginally more than two-and-a-half years, while he spent less than two years at Chelsea and Bayern respectively.
Having made a quip about being experienced in 18-month roles, Tuchel told reporters that he felt comfortable with being non-committal past the next World Cup.
He said: “Let’s see, it is 18 months and then we agreed to sit together. I have good experience with 18 months, I am working on my long-term game, the point was in this particular case it was important to have a frame, it is a step into the unknown for me.
“The last piece of it for me to understand it is something that can really excite me to the fullest was the time frame of 18 months. To demand from myself to not lose the focus.
“It is a good time frame because it will help us not lose focus, it is very streamlined and easy to explain. We are here to work on the best possible outcome for the World Cup.”
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Who will feature on Tuchel backroom staff?
Anthony Barry, who worked under Tuchel at both Chelsea and Bayern, will be his assistant in his Three Lions role.
A report had also indicated that Chelsea goalkeeping coach Henrique Hilario and a Blues video analyst will also work with him on a part-time basis.