The Football Association (FA) has revealed the meticulous process behind appointing Thomas Tuchel as England manager, following Gareth Southgate's departure. Chief executive Mark Bullingham enlisted two external data companies to build a profile of successful international managers, tailored to England's player base. The top 50 coaches were matched against criteria including playing style, tactical flexibility, and proven winning ability relative to resources.
Three categories emerged: high-potential coaches, elite coaches, and super-elite coaches at the pinnacle of their trade. After filtering out those without top-level English experience, five super-elite candidates remained. Bullingham and technical director John McDermott began with them, leading to approaches including Pep Guardiola, though the FA has never confirmed this.
Bullingham described a 'rifle shot approach' for the top five, where selling the role to them was as important as their pitch. The last candidate contacted was Tuchel, who initially proved hard to reach. After a lengthy call with McDermott, the German coach was 'hooked' and met McDermott in Munich for face-to-face talks.
McDermott noted an instant connection, with Tuchel showing deep knowledge of English football and the Euros. The FA also secured Anthony Barry as part of Tuchel's package, a significant bonus. While no super-elite candidates were English, the FA spoke to at least three English candidates with an eye on future roles.
