The Football Association’s (FA) decision to appoint Thomas Tuchel as the new England manager has sparked concerns about the future of domestic coaching, with former England defender Gary Neville warning that the move could be detrimental to the growth of English managers.
On Wednesday, the FA confirmed that Tuchel, the former Chelsea boss who led the Blues to Champions League glory in 2021, will succeed Gareth Southgate as England’s head coach. Tuchel, who has also managed Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, is widely regarded as one of the world’s elite football tacticians.
However, while Neville acknowledges Tuchel’s pedigree, he is worried about the broader impact of appointing a foreign coach. Speaking to Sky Sports, Neville expressed concerns about how this decision might affect English coaches aspiring to reach top-level positions.
Neville Warns of “Damaging” Impact on English Coaching
“I think we are damaging ourselves,” Neville stated. “There are outstanding English candidates who could have been appointed. We are in a rut when it comes to coaching. English coaching has one of the worst reputations in Europe – we don’t have a clear identity and have not built a style which is unique to us.”
Neville elaborated on the struggles English coaches face in carving out their own identity, citing the influence of foreign managers in the Premier League. “We’ve seen coaches from all around Europe come to the Premier League and input their styles in our game, and we’ve copied them. But in my opinion, we need to build an identity and let English coaches flourish.”
The ex-Manchester United star expressed frustration that the FA seemed to have reverted to appointing foreign coaches, a trend that he believed had been left behind. “I thought we’d left that period [of appointing foreign coaches] behind.”
Praise for Tuchel, but Questions for the FA
While Neville was critical of the FA’s decision, he did not dispute Tuchel’s credentials. “He is a great coach, he’s got a proven track record. He’s a winner, and he knows how to work with big players and handle big personalities. He ticks every single box,” Neville admitted.
However, he stressed that Tuchel’s appointment reflects poorly on the state of English coaching. “English coaching is in a worse position today than it was yesterday. I’d love Thomas Tuchel to be a coach in the Premier League. We need the best coaches, we thrive on that. You can’t deny what Thomas Tuchel is.”
Neville emphasized that while he supports Tuchel’s coaching abilities, the decision raises “serious questions for the FA” regarding their commitment to nurturing homegrown coaching talent. He pointed to prominent English managers like Graham Potter and Eddie Howe as viable candidates who were overlooked for the position.
The Bigger Picture for English Coaching
Neville’s comments come at a time when English managers are underrepresented at the top level, both in the Premier League and international football. The appointment of foreign managers has been a long-standing trend, with previous England bosses such as Sven-Göran Eriksson and Fabio Capello also hailing from abroad.
For Neville, the latter seems to be a significant concern. “With the likes of Graham Potter and Eddie Howe, I do think there are outstanding candidates that could have been appointed that are English.”
