Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has insisted that Thomas Tuchel now has the “chance” to make his mark after he was appointed the new England manager.
Thomas Tuchel was heavily linked with Manchester United in the summer and Erik ten Hag confirmed that the club had told him they had held talks with the German.
However, a move to bring the 51-year-old ex-Chelsea boss to Old Trafford as Erik ten Hag’s replacement failed to materialise and Tuchel remained on the sidelines.
Tuchel had once again been linked with the United head coach role amid pressure on Ten Hag this season, but the German has now made his return to management.
The Football Association (FA) made the shock decision to confirm former Bayern Munich manager Tuchel as the next England head coach.
Ferdinand on ‘contentious issue’ and Tuchel
Thomas Tuchel has agreed to take charge of England from 1st January 2025 and will now permanently succeed Gareth Southgate in the role.
Gareth Southgate stepped down from his position as England boss in the summer after the Three Lions suffered a 2-1 defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final.
Tuchel is only the third non-British permanent manager of the men’s national team, following in the footsteps of Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello.
Ex-Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand insisted that Tuchel’s position as a non-English manager in charge of the national team could be a “contentious issue.”
Speaking on his YouTube channel, he said on Tuesday: “I heard there were rumours that they were talking about Pep [Guardiola] and wanting to get Pep in but obviously his situation with Man City he’s there, has a contract, makes it difficult.
“Thomas Tuchel becomes the third non-British permanent manager of the England team after Sven-Goran Eriksson, God rest his soul, and Fabio Capello – both managers I played for.
“I think that’s a contentious issue for quite a lot of fans, not all, but a lot of fans, I don’t know how much percentage-wise.”
Ferdinand on Tuchel and ‘immortal’ status
Lee Carsley has taken charge of England on an interim basis for the Nations League campaign after Gareth Southgate resigned as Three Lions manager.
Southgate was widely praised for his work as England boss, despite failing to lift any major silverware for the Three Lions.
Ferdinand believes that Tuchel must be “licking his lips” at the chance of becoming “immortal” and putting himself in the same bracket as legendary former England manager Sir Alf Ramsey.
“I’ve seen murmurings, I’ve seen articles that are written by people, ‘The FA should be patriotic, we should have an English manager, there are so many good English managers, young ones that are waiting,’ Graham Potter, I keep seeing his name put in there,” he added.
“You want the best to do it. I don’t care, I’m one of those guys, if we win a World Cup or a Euros, all those guys who are writing those articles, I’m going to save them, because they’re the guys who will be screaming, waving their legs about, losing their voice, drinking 12 pints after it and celebrating, and they will not be talking about, ‘Oh no, we’ve got a German who’s managing us.’
“That will not be the conversation because if he [Tuchel] wins it, it’s immortal.
“This is an opportunity for these guys to become immortal, and this is why I think Thomas Tuchel is licking his lips, this is the chance to put himself above anybody in this country right now, up there along with Sir Alf Ramsey.”
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