Thomas Tuchel in advanced talks to become England’s manager

The Football Association is engaged in serious discussions with Thomas Tuchel about becoming the new manager of the England national team, and it appears that an agreement could be reached soon.

Since the start of the search for Gareth Southgate's permanent replacement, the organization has had Tuchel on its list of potential candidates. This list also features other notable names, including Pep Guardiola from Manchester City and the interim manager, Lee Carsley.

The focus has shifted to Tuchel, who guided Chelsea to victory in the Champions League in 2021, a standout achievement on his impressive resume. There are hopes that he can be convinced to accept this new opportunity. Tuchel has been unemployed since departing from Bayern Munich in May. The FA has chosen not to discuss what it insists is a private process.

The German is set to be the third international coach for the England men's team, following in the footsteps of Sven-Göran Eriksson and Fabio Capello. Mark Bullingham, the chief executive of the FA, is heading up the hiring process with the help of technical director John McDermott. Bullingham has stated that a candidate's nationality should not be an obstacle for this position.

During the European Championship in June, Bullingham highlighted that Sarina Wiegman, the head coach of the England women's team, is from the Netherlands. This suggests that the FA has been and continues to be open to relying on someone from outside England.

It’s clear that Tuchel has a strong affinity for English culture. He communicates very well in English, which is an important requirement for the FA when considering candidates from abroad. During his time at Chelsea, which lasted around 18 months, he fully immersed himself in the experience and became a beloved figure among the fans.

Tuchel demonstrated his talent for communication and leadership when he publicly condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, even though Chelsea was under the ownership of Roman Abramovich, a Russian oligarch. He discovered that he enjoyed the more personality-focused side of the British media.

The 51-year-old has a strong stance and left his last four positions amid controversy. There have been reports of conflicts with players and management after his departures from Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, and Bayern, in that order.

Conversely, when Tuchel finds his rhythm, he has a remarkable knack for motivating and uplifting those around him, creating a powerful momentum. With his strong charisma, he has excelled at the top tiers of football, securing numerous domestic titles with PSG. Though he narrowly missed winning the Champions League with them, falling to Bayern in the 2020 final, he would have an opportunity to redeem that personally at Chelsea. Additionally, during his time at Dortmund, he claimed the DFB-Pokal, and at Bayern, he secured the Bundesliga title.

Tuchel is likely to take English coach Anthony Barry along with him, given their previous collaboration at Chelsea and Bayern. Barry currently serves as an assistant to Roberto Martínez, the manager of the Portugal national team.

The FA seriously thought about making Carsley the permanent head coach after he served as the England Under-21s coach. However, concerns about his fit for the role started to surface, along with questions about whether he even desired the position. Carsley faced significant backlash for his team's performance in the recent 2-1 defeat against Greece at Wembley. Additionally, he has had difficulty expressing himself clearly during press conferences.

The FA made initial contact with Guardiola at the start of the selection process, but getting him to leave City was seen as unlikely. The top English contenders have been Eddie Howe and Graham Potter. Howe is dedicated to his role at Newcastle, where his contract includes a release clause of around £5 million. Meanwhile, Potter, who is currently without a job after parting ways with Chelsea in April 2023, is more inclined to head back to managing a club.