‘Doesn’t feel right’ – Carragher opens up on ‘strange’ Tuchel appointment by England

Jamie Carragher reckons Thomas Tuchel being the manager of England “doesn’t feel right” despite the German’s “brilliance”.

Tuchel was revealed as the Three Lions’ new manager on Tuesday on an 18-month deal in a move that has proven divisive among those who believe the England boss should be English, and Carragher is of the same mind.

Carragher told Sky Sports: “My feeling is, the whole point of international football, certainly with major nations who compete for the tournaments, is that it’s your best versus their best

“Club football is different and we love it, different nationalities, different coaches in the Premier League or at Champions League level. It’s a real mix.

“But the thing that makes international football different from the club game is that it’s people from your country.

“I know that’s skewed a little bit with players, maybe they weren’t born in the country or it goes back to maybe their grandparents.

“And I also understand, certain nations having a foreign coach who’s going to have an influence them will drag the whole footballing structure up with them and pass on experience and expertise to all the coaches throughout the system and the country.

“But when I think of England now, and we’re so close to winning a major tournament, there’s so much good work that has gone into producing these players at St George’s Park, it just doesn’t feel right to me that we have a foreign coach.

“Again, it’s not just about England. I don’t think Italy should, I don’t think Germany should, I don’t think France should. Portugal have it at the moment in Roberto Martinez which I find strange.

“That’s my take on it. I’m not going to lose any sleep over it. England have got a brilliant manager, but I think England should have an English manager.”

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Earning £6m per year, Tuchel will be assisted by former Chelsea coach Anthony Barry and officially take charge in January.

The FA interviewed 10 candidates for the role, including some English managers, but the 51-year-old’s record of winning trophies was decisive

“I’m sorry, I just have a German passport… but all of these supporters can feel my passion for the English Premier League, how I love to work here, how I love to live here,” Tuchel told the media at Wembley.

“Hopefully I can convince them I am proud to be an England manager.

“I have good experience with 18 months, I am working on my long-term game, the point was in this particular case it was important to have a frame, it is a step into the unknown for me.

“The last piece of it for me to understand it is something that can really excite me to the fullest was the timeframe of 18 months. To demand from myself to not lose the focus.

“It is a good timeframe because it will help us not lose focus, it is very streamlined and easy to explain. We are here to work on the best possible outcome for the World Cup.”