Results, player selection and style: Why Thomas Tuchel cannot win with England unless he wins World Cup

Thomas Tuchel has made a surprise return to England following his bitter departure from Chelsea. He’s been named the new coach of the England men’s national team. When Todd Boehly dismissed the German tactician in September 2022, a return to England was never ruled out, but few expected that return to be for the English senior men’s team role.

The appointment of Tuchel has been met with mixed reactions from the footballing world. This marks the first time the job has gone to a non-English manager since the troubled tenure of Fabio Capello, which lasted from December 2007 until his resignation in February 2012 over the FA’s decision to strip John Terry of the captain’s armband.

As expected, some who prioritise nationalism are unhappy with the choice of a coach from a rival football nation. They would have preferred that the job go to an English manager like Graham Potter or Eddie Howe. The pressure has already begun, even before Tuchel has made his first squad selections or played a match. The England manager role is considered one of the most challenging jobs in football. The fans and media often seem never fully satisfied with any coach. Even when results are positive, criticism shifts to style, and if the style is pleasing, then attention turns to player selection. An experienced manager like Tuchel is surely aware of what he’s signed up for.

He is taking over the England team at a time when the only acceptable result is winning the World Cup. Qualification for major tournaments is no longer an issue for England. His predecessor reached the World Cup semi-finals in 2018 and back-to-back European Championship finals, yet some pundits argued he underachieved given the talent pool at his disposal. Even a critic of English football would admit that few national teams boast a talent pool as deep as the current England squad. This abundance can be a double-edged sword, as it makes team selection particularly challenging, with almost every position having multiple high-calibre options.

Tuchel must understand that he is building a real football team, not a fantasy squad. A balanced line-up is crucial, unlike in fantasy football, where players are chosen based on individual stats like goals and assists. If he caters too much to the demands of fans, he risks overcrowding the squad with players of similar profiles, simply because each has impressive club performances. For example, if he needs two number 10s, he should select only those two, even if five are having standout seasons at their clubs. He shouldn’t sacrifice balance by using national team call-ups as rewards for club form.

Argentina faced similar issues when they had a surplus of strikers performing well at their clubs. Past coaches struggled to make tough choices, sometimes sacrificing balance to include multiple forwards in the squad. In 2022, Scaloni benefited from having fewer high-performing strikers, which allowed him to focus on building a well-rounded team.

Another challenge Tuchel must navigate is avoiding a repeat of the Lampard-Gerrard dilemma. Between 2004 and 2010, England had two world-class number 8s. In the era of 4-4-2 formations, it was possible to play with two central midfielders—one defensive and one attacking—but the pressure to play both star midfielders meant the team often lacked balance. This issue contributed to England’s struggles during that period. A similar situation could arise now with three of the best playmakers in the world: Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer, and Phil Foden. At most, two of them should start, but fan pressure might tempt a weaker coach to compromise the balance by sidelining runners on the flanks, as seen in the recent Nations League defeat to Greece under caretaker manager Carsley.

A well-balanced team has a strong bench, and Tuchel should emphasize to his players that coming off the bench for such a talented squad is not a reflection of their abilities.