Soccer

Only a German can help now – Tuchel taking England job sparks jokes in homeland

There has also been a degree of praise, somewhat unsurprisingly, for the FA making a sensible choice.

The appointment of Thomas Tuchel as England boss has been met with mixed reactions in Germany
The appointment of Thomas Tuchel as England boss has been met with mixed reactions in Germany (John Walton/PA)
By PA Sport Staff

The appointment of German manager Thomas Tuchel as England head coach has been greeted with some irony in his homeland.

But among the jokes about the former Bayern Munich and Chelsea boss taking over there has also been a degree of praise, somewhat unsurprisingly, for the Football Association making a sensible choice.

Here the PA news agency looks at how Tuchel’s appointment was covered by some of the German media.

Bild

“The motherland of football gets a German dad. Madness! Since 1966 – 1966!!!! – the proud football nation has been waiting for a trophy (and sorry, even the World Cup victory only happened because the referee made a mistake). It will soon be 60 years without a title. In that time, we’ve won the World Cup three times and the European Championship three times. Oops. The despair on the island must be immense if they realise only a German can help now. What a tribute to Tuchel and German football that the English are jumping over their shadows despite the huge rivalry.”

Der Spiegel

“English football is more globalised than German football, the clubs are often in the hands of foreign owners and they employ the best coaches in the industry. Recently, they have rarely come from Great Britain. The only current Premier League coach at a club with European Cup ambitions is Newcastle’s Eddie Howe. He is yet to win a major title. And that is exactly what the English FA is all about – end their drought since their World Cup success in 1966. Tuchel can be trusted to do that.”

Suddeutsche Zeitung

Newly appointed England head coach Thomas Tuchel joked about holding a German passport at his unveiling
Newly appointed England head coach Thomas Tuchel joked about holding a German passport at his unveiling (John Walton/PA)

“No other football nation has inflicted as much pain on England as Germany in recent years. Now they’re banking on – of all people – a German coach to finally deliver the ultimate prize of football. The long uncrowned motherland of football has been waiting for a men’s title since its only home World Cup victory in 1966. A German coach – of all people – is now set to fulfil this longing of the English.”

Kicker

“A German! Of course, some fans in England will howl. But with Tuchel, the association has presented a well thought-out solution that will ensure that the big goal of winning the 2026 World Cup does not have to remain just a dream.”