England’s stars will be buzzing with excitement and raring to prove themselves to Thomas Tuchel after he agreed to manage the national team, Rio Ferdinand has claimed.
Tuchel agreed a deal to become England’s new manager on Tuesday after talks rapidly accelerated with the man who will succeed Gareth Southgate.
The German is on an 18-month deal until the end of the 2026 World Cup and will earn around £5million per year.
He arrives with a track record of winning major trophies and steered Chelsea to the 2021 Champions League title just four months after taking the reins from Frank Lampard.
‘I think the players will be happy. They want to be led to the Promised Land. I know for a fact, these players will be ringing each other asking what he’s like,’ Ferdinand told his YouTube channel Rio Ferdinand Presents.
Rio Ferdinand believes England’s players will be ‘happy’ with Thomas Tuchel as their manager
He has backed the German to win a trophy after he agreed to succeed Gareth Southgate
‘Asking Mason Mount, [Bukayo] Saka asking Kai [Havertz] at Arsenal, Declan Rice the same. They’ll be texting all of their mates who’ve played under him going “what was he like? Am I the kind of player he likes?” That’s what all the conversations will be.
‘Players will be questioning themselves. They might have been in the doldrums or the shadows before, but it will invigorate and galvanise some.
‘There will be a little bit of anxiety and apprehension, but I’m sure he will settle that on day one and talk them through how he’s going to get them to win a trophy.’
England enter this new era on the back of a highly encouraging one which ended in tears.
The Three Lions reached two finals under Southgate and were beaten 2-1 in the final of Euro 2024 by Spain, succumbing to a late winner from Mikel Oyarzabal.
Ferdinand believes Tuchel has the knowhow to take England one step further and lift a trophy with them.
‘I think the way he plays, aggressive, on the front foot, tactically has the nous and especially in tournament football – he gets his teams through to the finals and win – so I think we’ve got as good a chance to win a tournament as ever now.
‘I’m going to go as far to say that Thomas Tuchel will win England a tournament in his time as England manager.
Tuchel has agreed an 18-month deal and will try to qualify the side for the 2026 World Cup
‘I’m putting it out there now, because I don’t think there’s too much to add to the ingredients. We’re getting to finals. How much more is there to add to the ingredients or melting pot? Gareth Southgate, the only thing he might have been lacking was the understanding or the ability to win.
‘You could talk about the playing style being a bit more loose and not as conservative maybe. That might have been the thing that held us back. I don’t think I’m going to be saying that about Thomas Tuchel. I hope that means we go on to win, because then the FA look like they’ve pulled a masterstroke.’
Not everybody has received the appointment so warmly. Mail Sport’s Ian Herbert wrote how it is a ‘panicked lurch in a new direction’ and a ‘sudden stab in the dark,’ for all of Tuchel’s qualities.
And Jeff Powell believes every nation should only have staff native to the country, right down to the kit cleaner.
