England: ‘Very Patriotic’ Redknapp slams ‘sad’ FA decision with Tuchel ‘not a massive success’

Former Premier League boss Harry Redknapp has hit out at the FA’s decision to make Thomas Tuchel the new permanent England manager.

On Wednesday morning, the FA appointed Tuchel as Gareth Southgate’s permanent replacement.

England have been without a permanent manager since Southgate quit following his side’s 2-1 loss against Spain in the Euro 2024 final.

After the European Championships, U21 boss Lee Carsley stepped up to lead the senior team and has been in charge for the past two international breaks.

Carsley will remain in charge for the November international break, while Tuchel’s contract begins at the start of next year.

Pep Guardiola, Eddie Howe and Graham Potter were also mooted as potential replacements. but the FA moved quickly to appoint Tuchel amid potential interest in the former Chelsea boss from Premier League giants Manchester United.

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Redknapp is far from happy with the FA’s decision as he wanted an “English manager” and Tuchel has not “been a massive success”.

“It’s not like he’s been a massive success. He’s come and gone at a couple of clubs,” Redknapp said on Sky Sports.

“I’m very patriotic, I think we should have an English manager but obviously the field was very small to choose from. Englishmen don’t get many chances to manage in the Premier League now. It’s all foreign owners and it’s always got to be a foreign manager.

“We’ve only got two or three managers in the Premier League who are English. The FA, with all the money they spend on coaching courses, it’s sad.”

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“It’s not like Jurgen Klopp who went to Liverpool and was a great success and stayed for many years,” Redknapp added.

“You need to have a little bit of common sense, pick the right players, pick the right positions, make them feel great about themselves, make them feel great about playing for the best country in the world.

“That’s what it is. How long do you get to work with them? You don’t really get a chance to work with them – it’s not like you’re coaching them. Lee Carsley said he had about 20 minutes to work on a system – that’s about what you get to work on a bit of shape, patterns of play.”

Gary Lineker meanwhile has revealed why he would have preferred the FA to appoint an “imaginative” alternative.

“I’ve seen enough to suggest to me that the players really trust him, that he’s imaginative enough to produce something that is a joy to watch, that is entertaining, that is front-footed football,” said Lineker.

“I really liked him but I could tell that he knew he wasn’t getting the job.”

He added: “I respect Thomas Tuchel as coach. I think he’s really clever. I spoke to (German journalist) Raphael Honigstein and he said to me, ’60 per cent genius, 40 per cent lunatic’, or words to that effect.

“No one will care one iota (about his nationality) if England somehow manage to win the World Cup. He’s taken another team’s national squad and he will have done this because he would have looked at this squad and gone, ‘My goodness there’s so much talent in there’.

“This is an unbelievable opportunity of winning the greatest trophy of all and boy would I love him to do it.”