England boss Thomas Tuchel vows to add a ‘second star’ but is the job impossible?
Thomas Tuchel has vowed his target is to win the World Cup with England in 2026 and to add a second star to the shirt. It could be win or bust for the German coach.
According to Fox Sport, Tuchel said: "I understood very quickly that it's a big job." He said he wanted to push England "over the line and try to put a second star on the shirt."
Tuchel has been appointed as England's manager from January 1st, 2025, taking over from Gareth Southgate as the permanent boss. We will look at whether Tuchel will lead England to a trophy or not.
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Lee Carsley, who has overseen four games since being appointed interim boss in August, will remain in charge for England's games against Greece and the Republic of Ireland next month.
According to BBC Sport, Tuchel said: "I am very proud to have been given the honour of leading the England team. I have long felt a personal connection to the game in this country, and it has given me some incredible moments already."
"To have the chance to represent England is a huge privilege, and the opportunity to work with this special and talented group of players is very exciting."
Tuchel is among the most talented coaches, winning the UEFA Champions League with Chelsea, the league title with Bayern Munich, and multiple titles with PSG in France.
However, success with England has become a near-impossible job for every manager in the nation's history, and Tuchel may find it to be the same way at the World Cup in 2026.
The German becomes the third overseas manager to coach England after Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello, and their track record won't give England fans much confidence.
Former Swedish manager Sven-Goran Eriksson was the first overseas manager to represent England, but despite coaching England's 'Golden Generation,' he never made it past the quarterfinals.
Sven's England reached the quarterfinals of the 2002 and 2006 World Cups and the quarters of Euro 2004. Despite coaching the likes of David Beckham, Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard, and Paul Scholes, he had a 59.7-win percentage, winning 40 of 67 games.
Fabio Capello's period with England wasn't filled with any success other than tournament qualifications, reaching the last 16 of the 2010 World Cup and qualifying for Euro 2012.
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Despite keeping many of the same players Eriksson had, Capello's lack of English hindered his ability to coach the team. According to The Independent, he coached 42 games, winning 28.
Unfortunately for England fans and Tuchel, history has proven that the most prosperous nations have hired coaches from the same country. Do you ever see France, Germany, or Spain hiring coaches from other countries?
The Telegraph reports that German Otto Rehhagel has won a World Cup or European Championship as a hired overseas manager (Euro 2004 with Greece). Natives have won the other 38 tournaments.
Former Premier League manager Harry Redknapp said: "I wanted an Englishman to manage England. I'm patriotic, and we should have an English manager. The field was very small to choose from because Englishmen don't get jobs managing in the Premier League."
Ex-England boss Sam Allardyce echoed Redknapp's comments: "The FA have gone against building and developing their own [manager] from within. For me, that could have been Lee Carsley, Eddie Howe, or even Frank Lampard or Steven Gerrard."
By the time the 2026 World Cup rolls around, it will have been 60 years of hurt for England fans. Can he prove history wrong and secure the 'Three Lions' the World Cup?
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