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.

2

2

Advertisement

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.

CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS

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.

Southgate vs Tuchel records compared

THOMAS TUCHEL

Augsburg II 2007-2008

P34 W 20 D8 L6 Win percentage: 58.82%

Mainz 05 2009-2014

Advertisement

P184 W72 D46 L66 Win percentage: 39.13%

Borussia Dortmund 2015-2017

P107 W67 D23 L17 Win percentage: 62.62%

Honours: DFB Pokal

Advertisement

Paris Saint Germain 2018-2020

P127 W95 D13 L16 Win percentage: 74.8%

Honours: Ligue 1 X2, Coupe de France, Coupe de la Ligue, Trophee des Champions x2

Chelsea 2021-2022

Advertisement

P100 W60 D24 L16 Win percentage: 60%

Honours: Champions League, Super Cup, Club World Cup

Bayern Munich 2023-2024

P61 W37 D8 L16 Win percentage: 60.66%

Advertisement

Honours: Bundesliga

GARETH SOUTHGATE

Middlesbrough 2006-2009

P151 W54 D43 Win percentage: 35.76%

Advertisement

England U21 2013-2016

P37 W27 D5 L5 Win percentage: 72.97%

Honours: Toulon tournament

England 2016-2024

Advertisement

P102 W61 D24 L17 Win percentage: 59.8%

Honours: Euros runners up, 2020, 2024

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.

Forgotten England stars could benefit from Tuchel appointment

WITH Thomas Tuchel announced as the next England manager, a few forgotten stars might be hopeful of a return to the international set up.

The former Chelsea and Bayern Munich manager usually uses a 3-4-3 formation.

That could provide an opening for Mason Mount, who’s not been involved in the England set-up since the World Cup in 2022.

Advertisement

The now Manchester United star enjoyed his most successful spell under Tuchel while the pair were at Stamford Bridge.

Tuchel could also offer lifelines to other previously capped players such as Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Eric Dier.

RLC has excelled since his move to AC Milan and with England struggling to find a partner for Rice, he could be the surprise answer.

Meanwhile, Dier played for Tuchel at Bayern Munich as part of a back-three last season.

Advertisement

The defender did enough to convince the club to make his loan move permanent after he had fallen out of favour at Tottenham.

Click here to see the full England XI who could play under Tuchel.

LAS VEGAS – Anthony Hernandez is like many MMA fans.

He doesn’t know what to expect out of opponent Michel Pereira come fight night, nor does it bother him.

Despite being one of the highest-ranked middleweights in the world, Hernandez (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) is largely unplugged from the MMA scene. He has a low-key social media presence and doesn’t research the odds or other divisional happenings.

Sure, he knows Pereira (31-11 MMA, 9-2 UFC) does backflips and leaps off the cage. But Hernandez isn’t interested in predicting the unpredictable.

“I don’t know, and I really respectfully don’t care,” Hernandez told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a UFC Fight Night 245 pre-fight news conference Wednesday. “I’m just going to kind of go out there and do what I do. I really don’t give a f*ck what he has to offer because I’m focused on what I’m going to do great. That’s as simple as that. That’s kind of how I keep things mentally for myself.”

Hernandez laid out a very simplistic read of the fight – the things he felt he knew for sure. The difference, he thinks, lies in the cardio.

“It’s hard to say because Pereira in the third round, respectfully, he looks like sh*t,” Hernandez said. “He’s wild as f*ck. He can catch you and knock you the f*ck out. So it’s not like, ‘Oh sh*t.’ But I think that if everything goes right and my hands are up, I think I finish him just because of the way he finishes and the way I don’t gas. Stylistically, seeing it on paper is perfect for me. But now, it’s just go do it.”

“… He’s a hard guy to f*cking judge. I don’t even think he knows what he’s doing. I think he even mentioned that he kind of sees it and goes. But yeah, for sure. It’s like jogging and sprinting. He’s sprinting all the time when he’s doing all that crazy sh*t. That sh*t takes hella energy. His last two fights he came out calm and collected, so I’d expect him to come out calm and collected. That would definitely help his gas tank, for sure.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 245.

It always felt like a matter of when, rather than if, the pitch recycled from the first Test would play a part in the second.

Before it did, Pakistan must have been suffering deja vu from the first Test. On that occasion, they posted a strong 556, only to be pulverised by England’s Bazballers. When Duckett was going strong, sharing partnerships in excess of 50 with Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope and Root, history was repeating.

Sajid was one of four changes to the Pakistan XI and, even in the face of Duckett’s assault – England were scoring at five an over – Sajid carried the biggest threat.

And, late on the seventh day of cricket played on this pitch, the surface had its say. The ball for Root’s sweep may have kept a touch low, Duckett tried to drive out of the rough and Brook was unwise in trying to force against the spin. Stokes prodded like a man who has missed four Tests with a hamstring injury.

In the blink of an eye, England were floored. Dreams of a first-innings advantage turned into a grim battle for survival. From here, even getting to parity would be a remarkable effort.

Then there is also the thought of the conditions England might face in the fourth innings. Pakistan hold all the cards in their bid to level the series.

Celtic have been fined approximately £16,700 for the “lighting of fireworks” during their recent Champions League defeat away to Borussia Dortmund.

And the Scottish Premiership champions could face a one-match ban on away fans at a Uefa club match if there is another incidence in the next two years.

Uefa said, external its control, ethics and disciplinary body had decided: “To fine Celtic FC €20,000 and to ban Celtic FC from selling tickets to its away supporters for a total of one (1) UEFA club competition match, for lighting of fireworks.

“Said ban from selling tickets to its away supporters is suspended for a probationary period of two (2) years, starting from the date of the present decision.”

Celtic opened their league phase with a 5-1 home win over Slovan Bratislava before losing 7-1 in Germany.

MARK BULLINGHAM claimed there is a lack of top-quality English coaches to choose from — yet never approached Eddie Howe.

The FA chief executive insists he had to go abroad for a new boss and that Thomas Tuchel was the ideal candidate.

2

2

Advertisement

Bullingham revealed the FA spoke to ten managers but SunSport understands Newcastle boss Howe was not one of them.

He said: “We ran a really clear process. We spoke to approximately ten throughout the process.

“Clearly some were more up for the role than others.

“We were absolutely delighted to end up with Thomas and we believe he gives us the best chance of winning the World Cup.”

Although Howe was not spoken to, the FA knew that Newcastle would have demanded a large amount of compensation.

Another English boss in the running was Graham Potter, out of work since being sacked by Chelsea last year.

But Bullingham still believes the pathway for English coaches is clear.

He said: “If you look at St George’s Park overall, it has been a really good success.

BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS

ANDY DILLON: Thomas Tuchel has all the ingredients to become a classic England manager – tactical nous, drive and a tangled love life

By Andy Dillon

THOMAS TUCHEL possesses all the ingredients to become a classic England manager.

Tactical nous, drive, energy, experience – a tangled love life.

Advertisement

English football should welcome back the most explosive, dynamic, charismatic and impossibly tall and gangly coach to have lit up the Premier League.

Chelsea’s colourful former boss has been leading a settled life in Munich of late.

Far enough away from ex-wife Sissi but close enough to see his two daughters.

Walking his dog in the streets in the east of Germany’s most fashionable city, residing in the posh Bogenhausen area. Living relatively quietly with his Brazilian girlfriend.

Advertisement

Tuchel is a vastly different personality to the man who led England quietly but assuredly to the brink of World Cups and European Championships.

An excitable nature can make him hard to handle for those seeking calm and who like to impose their way on a manager they view very much as an underling.

Read more on why Tuchel REALLY IS the best man for the England job

“Our pathway is really strong, both from a coaches and players point of view. There are a lot of fantastic young coaches.

“Clearly you would love to have five to ten domestic candidates who are coaching clubs in your domestic league, challenging and winning honours in your domestic league and European football.

Inside FA’s thrilling chase for Tuchel

THE FA’s path to securing Thomas Tuchel’s signature was not a straightforward one.

They tried to lure Pep Guardiola from Manchester City over the summer.

Advertisement

They even made contact with Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti after deciding to target trophy-laden foreign gaffers.

The FA’s determination to go international was summed up by their decision NOT to interview Newcastle boss Eddie Howe.

Initial talks with Tuchel saw him express a slight interest in replacing Gareth Southgate.

But he was waiting to see what would happen at Manchester United, with Erik ten Hag’s future under the spotlight.

Advertisement

Man Utd owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe eventually decided to stick with Ten Hag – and that opened the door to the FA getting their man.

Read the full story on England’s thrilling pursuit of Thomas Tuchel.

“We are not quite in that place at the moment.

“As we set out our process, our priority was to find someone that can give our players the best possible chance to win.

“We have found that, and we have got Thomas — and we are delighted.”

Aside from Howe, only Everton’s Sean Dyche and Wolves’ Gary O’Neil are English Prem bosses but Southampton’s Russell Martin was born in England despite playing for Scotland.

Ashley Cole has been appointed as a full-time national coach at the FA.

And Lee Carsley returns to lead the Under-21s after his stint as seniors boss ends this year.

Bullingham added: “We would love to have more English coaches managing in the Premier League.”

Tuchel’s English No 2 at Chelsea and Bayern Munich, Anthony Barry, will join the German in the Three Lions dugout.

And Bullingham said: “We had a clear recruitment plan in place before the Euros and a shortlist if we needed it.

“Thomas was absolutely outstanding, providing a really clear vision for the role and how he would work with our players.”