Thomas Tuchel has insisted he will not walk out on England and is “open” to staying on until after the next World Cup, revealing his contract contains no break clause that would allow him to leave for a club job.
The England boss, whose current £5m-a-year deal expires in 2028, said no offer from a big club would tempt him to quit. When asked if there was zero chance he would leave, Tuchel said: “I would say so. There’s no release clause. And there's no intention. I signed the contract. I want to stay until the Euros. I want to do the Euros. We have unfinished business.”
FA Removed Break Clause After World Cup Run
Tuchel’s contract, signed before the World Cup, originally included a get-out for the Football Association that would allow them to part ways if England crashed out early. That clause was removed once England reached the latter stages, and Tuchel said FA chief executive Mark Bullingham and chief football officer Dan Ashworth made it clear they wanted him to stay even if the team lost in Mexico.
Asked whether 2028 and the “home Euros” would mark the end of his spell in charge, Tuchel said: “That's the end of my contract.” He then said he was open to staying beyond that tournament: “I’m open for everything. They made a commitment very early. They made it very early in person with Dan (Ashworth) and Mark Bullingham. They made it very early in the World Cup. Even before the clause was activated.”
Tuchel Misses Club Management
Tuchel also admitted he would like to return to club management one day, saying he misses the intensity of club football. “Yes. Definitely. I miss the 50 matches. I miss these two minutes when everything is done. You go out two minutes before the whistle goes. It's like the best two minutes,” he said.
“Everything is done. You're in a full stadium. Lights are on and you're just so excited and you're part of it. That's actually the two minutes where I realise how lucky and how grateful I am. Then the whistle goes, and then you're just in the tunnel again, trying to win the game for your team. I know also the downside of every four days. Sometimes these two minutes don't feel so good if you're in a bad place with your club team. I'm in a good place and competitive at the same time.”
England Wants to Host Nations League Finals
Meanwhile, Tuchel said he wants England to host next year’s Nations League finals as a warm-up for Euro 2028. The Football Association has voiced a willingness to host the finals next summer, but the hosts must be one of the four finalists, meaning England would need to get through the semi-finals in March.
FA chiefs have an option to host the tournament and see it as a dress rehearsal for the “home Euros,” with Everton and Manchester City named as potential venues. UEFA rules state that host stadiums must be in close proximity, and it is believed the Etihad and Hill Dickinson Stadium would fit the bill.
Tuchel said: “Nations League helps in general for us I think to have it here could be…I think it would be exciting. It would be nice to have it here. So first of all, we need to reach the final before we play. It is a challenge. It should be a home advantage when we go to the Euros, and it should not become a home disadvantage that we feel in our brain. It should be exciting, and that's why it's also important what we are building at the moment, how the team plays at the moment. That it grows a natural excitement, and that this is the way forward, and this is the way we want to play. That everyone knows, ok this is going to happen and let's push this team and make it clear to everyone that we need this positive attitude to push us over the line.”
