Southampton manager Russell Martin expressed on Thursday that “loads of English coaches are capable” of managing the England national team after Thomas Tuchel was named as the new head coach.
The 51-year-old German, who previously managed Chelsea and Bayern Munich, was unveiled on Wednesday and is set to begin his role on January 1. Tuchel replaces Gareth Southgate as the permanent England coach, becoming the third foreign manager in the team’s history, following Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello.
Football Association chief executive Mark Bullingham revealed that English coaches were considered during the selection process, but ultimately, the FA felt that there were not enough homegrown candidates to take on the role at this time.
Former Manchester United captain and England defender Gary Neville commented on Sky Sports that Tuchel was “the best available manager in the world.” However, Neville also expressed concern, stating, “We are damaging ourselves by accepting that Tuchel is better than any of the English coaches. English coaching is in a rut.”
Meanwhile, Wayne Rooney, former England captain and now manager of Plymouth in the Championship, was also surprised by the FA’s decision to hire Tuchel. Rooney, who earned 120 caps and scored 53 goals for England, remarked, “Tuchel is a very good coach, but I’m surprised the FA didn’t choose one of their own. They’ve built a great platform for young coaches, so it’s unexpected.”
Rooney concluded by wishing Tuchel success, saying, “They’ve made their decision, and I hope he does well for us.”
