Gary Lineker has recalled a fascinating Thomas Tuchel memory from his time at Chelsea after the German coach was announced this week as England’s next manager.
The FA confirmed on Wednesday that Thomas Tuchel is the new England men’s senior head coach, officially starting the role on 1 January 2025.
Gary Neville delivered a mixed reaction to Tuchel’s England appointment via Sky Sports. However, there’s no doubt that the former Chelsea boss arrives at Wembley Stadium with a very impressive CV in club football.
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Thomas Tuchel on the touchline
Gary Lineker has shared a brilliant story about Tuchel’s behaviour on the sidelines from when he was in charge at Chelsea.
He’s recalled that the German head coach was extremely animated and loud with the Blues players during an FA Cup tie away to Barnsley in February 2021. Eventually, Chelsea secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Barnsley thanks to Tammy Abraham’s winning goal.
When discussing Tuchel on The Rest Is Football, Lineker said: “He is very demanding, that is for sure. Barnsley versus Chelsea in the FA Cup… Because there was no crowd, you could hear him.
“We were about 30 yards away from the dugout behind him in the stand. Boy, oh boy, did he let loose on his players at times. You could hear him absolutely lambasting them on occasions and encouraging them on others. He’s obviously a very demanding man.”
England go from one extreme to the other
Gareth Southgate, whose spell as England manager will be looked back at fondly by most, was very calm and composed on the touchline. It’s hard to remember him getting too animated during any match.
In contract, Tuchel is a fiery character on the sideline that you definitely notice.
Tuchel’s ability when it comes to in-game management is where you can put a huge tick by his name. It’s what makes him a perfect fit for tournament football, so England supporters should be fairly optimistic about the future.
Chelsea fans almost fell in love with Tuchel immediately because of his impact on and off the pitch at Stamford Bridge. Of course, winning the Champions League final against Manchester City cemented his legacy.
It’s going to be fascinating to see how quickly he can win over the England fanbase.
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