Gareth Southgate has held the England national team manager position for the past eight years, successfully uniting the squad in a way few other coaches have done in recent history.
Under Southgate, England came close to ending their long trophy drought, reaching two European Championship finals and the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup. As the Football Association sought a proven winner to take over from Southgate, they turned to Thomas Tuchel.
The German manager is no stranger to English football, having led Chelsea to a Champions League victory in 2021, alongside his league titles in Germany and France.
However, former England defender and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher expressed reservations about Tuchel’s appointment, stating it “doesn’t feel right” to have a foreign coach leading the national team, as the essence of international football lies in having a homegrown manager.
Carragher, 46, acknowledges that Tuchel’s presence doesn’t personally bother him, but he believes that major footballing nations should be led by coaches from their own country.
Reflecting on Tuchel’s upcoming role as England manager in 2025, Carragher shared his views on Sky Sports, joining others who feel the Three Lions should have an Englishman at the helm.
“When I think of England, we are on the verge of winning a major tournament, thanks to the tremendous efforts at St George’s Park in developing our players. It just doesn’t feel right to me to have a foreign coach,” the former England international stated.
“It’s not just about England – I don’t think Italy, Germany, or France should have foreign managers either. I find it odd that Portugal currently has Roberto Martinez. That’s just my perspective.”
He concluded, “I’m not going to lose sleep over it. England has a fantastic manager, but I believe an English manager should be in charge.”
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