How Thomas Tuchel's behaviour at Bayern showed he's 'more English than German'

GERMANY is proud that the English FA has appointed one of our coaches to the most important post in the motherland of football.

I admit there would be a huge outcry in Germany if a foreigner was to become our national coach — this has never happened.

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However, Tuchel is perhaps more English than German.

I know from his time at Bayern he always raved about the Premier League to the Munich players and told club chiefs he preferred working in England than Germany.

There is no question that Tuchel, as a manager, is an expert in tactics and football philosophy.

But in the end, there were always problems with his bosses at both Dortmund and Bayern.

He didn’t have that at Chelsea when he formed a team that won the Champions League in 2021.

Unlike in the Bundesliga, a boss in England is allowed to make more decisions about the squad.

And that will be the big difference… Tuchel doesn’t have to fight with his bosses if he wants players. He can simply select them.

In recent years, the football world has wondered why England doesn’t play better with perhaps the best players in the world. I think the coach was the problem.

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One thing that must be clear to the players is Gareth Southgate’s feel-good oasis is now over. Tuchel will challenge them.

When I saw Southgate on the sideline, I was amazed at how little influence he had on the running game.

Things will be very different under Tuchel. England will see a man actively coaching his players.

This is perhaps the missing piece of the puzzle.

Tuchel is considered the master of knockout games. It shouldn’t be forgotten how close he came to reaching the Champions League final against Real Madrid.

A wrong referee decision alone lost him that semi-final in May.

Tuchel knows tactics. Tuchel can win titles. And that is exactly what England was missing recently to achieve a great triumph.

We know we have a new big rival when it comes to our goal, which coach Julian Nagelsmann has set, of becoming 2026 world champions.

Tuchel can beat Germany at its own game — he now brings the winning mentality to England.