England’s appointment of Thomas Tuchel as Gareth Southgate’s successor has caused quite a divide, but the majority can agree that the German coach is among the elite in his craft.
Sure, Tuchel enters this position off the back of a distinctly unsuccessful spell at Bayern Munich, but one role will not define his career nor tarnish his reputation – one he’s been building since the age of 25 after a knee injury brought a premature end to his playing days.
The vastly experienced coach has achieved success in multiple lands at club level, with his compatibility for the England job undeniable. Tuchel may not know the words to the national anthem, but his knowledge of the language and the ‘English game’ are both pristine.
“I have long felt a personal connection to the game in this country, and it has given me some incredible moments already,” Tuchel said upon his appointment. His task is a mammoth one, but the German typically thrives when thrown into the deep end.
Southgate was a lovely bloke who deserves immense credit for guiding the Three Lions through their most prosperous period in generations. However, it was his tactical shortcomings and limitations as a manager which prevented him from finally bringing football home. Tuchel doesn’t come with such drawbacks, and here are some of the changes the German will make to ensure his tenure with England returns silverware.
Tuchel is wedded to no particular philosophy, and we shouldn’t be labelling the German as a ‘defensive-minded’ coach because his teams have historically been defensively stout. Tuchel is a preacher of fluid and scintillating possession play who aims to control matches via fierce gegenpressing.
The 51-year-old is undoubtedly pragmatic, though, and his deviation away from idealism means Tuchel has an exceptional record in knockout matches. Excluding Super Cups and the domestic equivalents, Tuchel has won over 70% of such matches and has shown off his tactical prowess on the biggest stage.
He remains the only manager to guide PSG to the Champions League final and was credited for delivering a masterclass on the sidelines as Chelsea beat Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in the 2021 final.
Tuchel’s flexibility and willingness to adapt to his opponent by the game adds a chameleon aspect to his teams. At Chelsea, for example, he could deploy a 3-4-3 or 3-5-2; at Borussia Dortmund, a 4-3-2-1 or 4-3-3; and PSG, a 4-3-1-2 or 4-2-2-2.
Southgate also offered a willingness to adjust tactically during tournaments, but systematic changes were typically made to match up with an opponent as opposed to gaining an advantage over them. The quarter-final with Switzerland at Euro 2024 is a prime example.
Southgate offered some tactical flexibility, but what he rarely showed was an ability to change the course of a match through systematic alterations that transcend like-for-like personnel substitutions.
Tuchel’s pragmatism and tactical unpredictability have been key to his success in knockout games, but so has his willingness to tinker in-game.
Despite the dearth of elite-level managers on the international scene, there may be times when Tuchel has been outfoxed and England are struggling to get a foothold in the game. The opposition may have caught the Three Lions off guard with a tactical winkle of their own. However, while Southgate may have been flummoxed and content with the absence of proactivity, Tuchel will constantly be thinking of ways to outmanoeuvre his opposite number and regain the advantage.
He’s a master problem-solver and always rapid to react. His in-game management has long been regarded among the best, with Tuchel boasting the humility to admit his initial set-up may have been wrong.
“My role is that of a service provider: I’m here to help and support the players,” Tuchel explained long ago while in charge of Borussia Dortmund. The German has thrived with less talented as well as ego-laden squads, with the current English crop leaning towards the latter on that continuum.
Balance is pivotal to success on the international stage, and it’s not going to take Tuchel long to work that out. However, for the sake of tactical stability, the German may have to sacrifice one or two of England’s superstars.
Southgate had a good understanding of balance before he decided to play without a left-hand side at Euro 2024, while Lee Carsley’s cram-all-your-creative-superstars-in experiment failed miserably in a recent defeat to Greece and will undoubtedly deter the new manager from repeating that mistake.
Not all of England’s shiniest stars are going to get into Tuchel’s strongest XI, and the German will not hesitate in sacrificing individual magic in favour of the collective, but he’ll also give his match-winners platforms to shine. He stumbled upon impressive tactical balance at PSG when no other manager could, and he should have no issues with the Three Lions assuming he’s content with dropping a few big names.
Tuchel will not succumb to the desires of the media or masses.
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