Mark Bullingham has asserted that the appointment of Thomas Tuchel as England’s head coach should not trigger concerns about the Football Association’s commitment to nurturing homegrown managers. Bullingham, the FA’s chief executive, and John McDermott, the technical director, have encountered criticism for their decision to hire a foreign manager for the men’s senior team for the third time, following the search for Gareth Southgate’s successor. Critics of the Tuchel hiring have expressed worries about what this signifies for the development pipeline at St George’s Park.
The FA has highlighted that Anthony Barry, an “internationally renowned” English coach, has been named as Tuchel’s assistant. Nevertheless, the absence of English managers deemed suitable to replace Southgate was evident. Bullingham did not express regret for choosing Tuchel during the 51-year-old’s introduction, although he also stated that English football was still on the correct path. “If you examine St George’s Park overall, I believe it has been a significant success,” Bullingham said. “Our pathway is robust, both from a coach’s and player’s perspective. There are numerous outstanding young coaches, and Anthony is one of them.
“I think any federation aiming to hire a senior manager would ideally want five to ten domestic candidates coaching clubs in their domestic league, challenging and winning honors in both domestic and European football. We are not quite there yet. Our focus was to find someone who could provide our players with the best opportunity to win. We have found that in Thomas, and we are thrilled with that decision. In the meantime, we must continue to support our young coaches, providing them with the best opportunities and ensuring they get good positions at clubs. We would love to see more English coaches managing in the Premier League. I believe there is a balance to be struck.”
Bullingham emphasized that nationality was secondary to giving England’s men the best chance of winning silverware for the first time since 1966. “We were always clear that we wanted the best person for the job, and I feel we owe it to the players and the country to provide them with that support and leadership in tournaments to help them succeed,” he said. The FA consulted with “approximately ten people” during the hiring process, and Bullingham mentioned that discussions were held with some English candidates. He remained discreet about whether anyone declined the job. The FA had also considered Pep Guardiola, whose contract with Manchester City ends at the end of the season.
“We conducted a very clear process,” Bullingham said. “Clearly, some were more interested in the role than others. We are absolutely delighted to have Thomas, and we believe he gives us the best chance of winning the World Cup. We believe the best candidate was chosen for the job.” Tuchel addressed his nationality and stated that he had not yet decided whether to sing the English national anthem before games. Lee Carsley, the interim head coach, faced criticism for remaining silent during it. “I understood from Mark that it’s a personal decision whether to sing it, and there were managers who did and others who didn’t,” Tuchel said. “I have not made my decision yet. I want to be honest with you. Your anthem is very moving, the English anthem is very moving. I have experienced it several times at Wembley, even with the players at the FA Cup final.
“It was very touching. No matter what decision I make, we have time until March. I will always show respect for my new role, the country, and of course, a very moving anthem. But as this is a new subject for me, I will take some time to make this decision.”
