Thomas Tuchel might have a long contract, but he has no excuses — it's win or bust. The German was originally hired to do just one thing, and if the England manager does not lift the trophy next month, he will have failed to complete his brief.
A History of Underachievement
Gareth Southgate was a very good England manager, but one who benefited hugely from having easy acts to follow. Before him, after Sam Allardyce had lasted one game, Roy Hodgson somehow survived a World Cup campaign that was over after two matches and duly followed that up with a last-16 loss to Iceland at Euro 2016.
Prior to Hodgson's tenure, Fabio Capello was paid enormously to help England limp to the knockout stages of South Africa 2010 before being cuffed by Germany. Capello had succeeded Steve McClaren, who failed to qualify England for Euro 2008 and became best known for his brolly.
In three tournament attempts, McClaren's predecessor, Sven Goran Eriksson, found the last-eight stage far too rarefied. You could go on. But in short, that is why Southgate's record of finishing as a Euro runner-up twice and as a World Cup semi-finalist and quarter-finalist is seen in some parts as a golden age.
It was acceptable, that is for sure. But England fluffed their lines in the 2018 semi-final against Croatia — their opponents on Wednesday for their Group L opener — after leading the game in Moscow at half-time. And in the quarter-final against France in 2022, they blew it when Harry Kane sent a late penalty chance to level the game at two apiece into the stands.
Tuchel's Mandate
Thomas Tuchel was, presumably, hired because the Football Association thinks he is a coach who can seize those moments, rather than waste them. That is why he is paid the big bucks. Ahead of their meeting with Croatia in Dallas, there can be no excuses for Tuchel.
Somewhat bizarrely, there was a new contract for him before his team had kicked a ball at this World Cup, but there can be no excuses. A lot of World Cup air-time has been filled with pundits explaining why England will NOT win it.
Addressing the Doubts
There is too much reliance on Harry Kane, for example. Well, there is nothing wrong with having a world-class talisman in your team — ask France and Kylian Mbappe, or Argentina and Lionel Messi at the last World Cup. And anyhow, Ollie Watkins — as he demonstrated at Euro 2024 — is an excellent stand-in if required. Do not underestimate the Aston Villa man.
They will struggle with the non-European conditions. Well, European teams have won two of the last three World Cups staged outside of Europe. European teams have won four of the last five World Cups. Eight of the last ten teams to reach the final have been European. It gets hot here as well.
Defensively, they do not look truly top-class. Well, England made it to this World Cup by winning all eight qualifying matches, conceding no goals in the process. Overall, there are not enough world-class players. Well, I suspect Kane, Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham would get in most starting line-ups at this World Cup. And most teams with a chance of winning the tournament will have only two or three marquee players in their squad.
Tuchel also goes into his first game at an international tournament in the fortunate position of having no key players absent through injury. He goes into his first game in the fortunate position of feeling able to leave stellar talent — in the form of Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Morgan Gibbs-White and Jarrod Bowen — at home. He has had a couple of weeks of acclimatisation. He has been indulged with that new deal that lasts until after Euro 2028.
Although the starting eleven is fairly predictable, he does have serious competition for places. As Tuchel himself said, there are 15 or 16 starters in his squad.
No Room for Failure
As England's first game of a tournament approaches, there is always a temptation to recalibrate expectations. But let's not forget that, originally — before the new deal — Tuchel was hired to do one thing, and one thing only. Win the World Cup. That mandate stands. And anything else will be a failure. It might be a heroic failure, an unlucky failure, an honourable failure. But it will be a failure all the same.
