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THOMAS TUCHEL will begin his England duties three weeks early – after receiving the green light to attend the 2026 World Cup draw.German Three Lions chief Tuchel had not been expected to take up any England role until the start of his 18 month contract on January 1.Thomas Tuchel is set to pick up his Three Lions duties three weeks earlyThe former Chelsea manager will represent England at the World Cup qualifying draw on December 13It was suspected that there may have been issues with his contract position following his summer departure from Bayern Munich.But Tuchel will now headline the FA delegation when Wembley chiefs travel to Zurich on December 13 for the start of the European road to the World Cup to be held in the USA, Canada and Mexico.Tuchel’s participation in the post-draw interview round will represent his first formal involvement in the national team – while he may also discover the opponents for his debut match.England are one of the 12 top seeds in the draw to help decide the 16 European places at the tournament.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSSix of the groups will contain four teams, with the rest made up of five sides.However, with four of the smaller groups set aside for the winners of the Nations League A quarter-finals – being played in March – England have a 75 per cent chance of being in one of the five-team groups.Those groups are scheduled to see matches played in March and June, whereas the four-team sections will be entirely compressed into the autumn breaks in September, October and November.Fifa will announce the fixtures schedule soon after the draw and it could mean Tuchel’s first match in charge is the opening World Cup qualifier.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSThe former PSG boss had previously been blocked from attending the draw after being appointed in his new job two months ago.That could be against second seeds Wales, with Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland all possible pot three opponents. Watch Thomas Tuchel’s awkward reaction when asked why he chose England over Man UtdThe 12 group winners will gain automatic qualification, with the runners up joined by four teams from the Nations League to play off the for the remaining places.As a top ranking side, England have been drawn in Pot 1 with Nations League quarter-finalists Croatia, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal and Euro winners Spain.What are the World Cup European Qualifying pots?Pot 1SpainGermanyPortugalFranceItalyNetherlandsDenmarkCroatiaEnglandBelgiumSwitzerlandAustriaPot 2UkraineSwedenTurkeyWalesHungarySerbiaPolandGreeceRomaniaSlovakiaCzech RepublicNorwayPot 3ScotlandSloveniaRepublic of IrelandAlbaniaNorth MacedoniaGeorgiaFinlandIcelandNorthern IrelandMontenegroBosnia and HerzegovinaIsraelPot 4BulgariaLuxembourgKosovoBelarusArmeniaKazakhstanAzerbaijanEstoniaCyprusFaroe IslandsLatviaLithuaniaPot 5MoldovaMaltaAndorraGibraltarLiechtensteinSan Marino More

SCOTT PARKER’S eyes still light up at the memory of lorry rides with dad at three in the morning.Sometimes there would be trips along the Kent coast as he accompanied his old man Michael on his rounds as a Heinz delivery driver — followed by maybe ice cream and the amusement arcades.Scott Parker has opened up on how helping his dad deliver heinz at 3am has helped his motivationCredit: PAParker, who memorably appeared in a television advertisement for McDonalds as a kid, would help out his dadCredit: News Group Newspapers LtdNow manager at Burnley, Parker smiles as he looks back and said: “As a kid every day I was on at my dad to take me out on the lorries.“Twice a week he’d take me out of school — probably not the right thing to do — but we’d get up at 3am and pick up the lorry.“Thursdays were the best because he’d have coast runs — Ramsgate, Margate — then he’d take me to the amusements after.“For a young kid, those days were fantastic. Great memories.”READ MORE IN FOOTBALLYet they also helped form the bit inside that now drives him on in his managerial career after a hat–trick of sackings — at Fulham, Bournemouth and Club Brugge.That treble, all within 19 nightmare months, might have suggested that being a boss was not for him — even if he did take the Cottagers and Cherries into the Premier League before each gave him his P45.In Belgium he lasted just 69 days and 12 games.He could have, as he knows, joined the bleeding hearts club, bleating about the unfairness of it all.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSYet his only public complaint throughout was to claim after a horrendous 9-0 loss at Anfield in Bournemouth’s fourth game back in the Prem that his squad were “unequipped” for the top flight.He was fired four days after that statement in August 2022 that came on the back of defeats of 3-0 to Arsenal and 4–0 at   Manchester City.Scott Parker talks about the challenges of being head coach at FulhamAsked why he has never talked about the sackings that might have cost him so much inside, he bluntly declared: “Well, in the last four months, nobody ever asked me.”Parker, 44, gives the impression that he would  rather throw himself off Margate’s Harbour Arm than show his true feelings.But for once he dropped the mask and admitted: “Standing on the touchline that day at Anfield, that was a lonely, lonely place.“I was disappointed it had to end way it did and of the three, Bournemouth still hurts the most. But we move on.“The pitfalls you fall into, the bumps we managers take along the road, you just deal with them.“Some have been knockouts for me but you dust yourself off, get back up and go again. There were times things were very tough. No denying that.“That’s why I took a year out after Brugge because at that point there had been a lot of jabs on the nose and I needed to mend, to get out of the fire.“I had to adjust and I realised a long time ago you can feel a bit sorry for yourself, mope around and be a victim. But there was no chance of that.“Not with my upbringing, not from where I come from  — the Lettsom Estate in Camberwell, inner London.“Dad a lorry driver, mum a special needs teacher and it was what it was.“No hard story, but my career was the be-all and end-all for my mum and dad because of where we were. Did I ever think I had  huge talent? Never.“Never even contemplated what life was like then, to the position I’m in now. But I’m always conscious of how different it could have been for me.“Those memories of going to Margate are great — but what I also realise now that it was that work inside my dad that became ingrained in me.“That’s what I stand for now. What I’ve always stood for. Working class values — and working as hard as you can. No one really sees that, that core inside me.“I understand what and how the people are at whatever club I am. Working-class people,  just like they are here at Burnley because I’m one of them.“It’s because I’m one of them that I’ll do everything in my power to take this club back up.”He is making a good fist of it too, the Clarets travel to Stoke today sitting in third.And the former West Ham and England midfielder stressed: “Heading off with my dad, they’re my fondest memories because of the fine margins of what it was and where it was.READ MORE SUN STORIES“Core values were instilled in me. They are as strong as ever. There’s been disappointments and triumphs, a roller coaster ride.“But sitting next to my dad in that lorry helped form who I am today and I’m proud of that.” More

RUUD VAN NISTELROOY could be set for an immediate return to the Premier League.SunSport understands the Dutchman – who impressed during his time as interim Manchester United manager – is one of two leading candidates wanted by Leicester City.Ruud van Nistelrooy took temporary charge of Manchester United following Erik ten Hag’s sackingCredit: ALAMYThe Dutchman is in line to replace Steve Cooper at LeicesterCredit: REXFoxes executives were impressed by the job Van Nistelrooy did at Old Trafford and believe he could be the man to steer the East Midlands club to safety.The club are now thought to be sounding out the former striker’s agents over a potential move.The development comes amid reports that Hamburg are also chasing the former United striker, who turned down the Burnley job in the summer and is regarded by many as one of the brightest young coaches in Europe.Leicester, meanwhile, are also chasing Graham Potter – who sources say could now be ready to make a return to club management.READ MORE ON LEICESTERThe ex-Brighton and Chelsea manager has been out of work for more than a year but could be tempted to return to take a vacancy left by Cooper’s sacking.Van Nistelrooy, 48, enhanced his reputation in the managerial sphere with a stellar four-game stint as interim Red Devils boss following the sacking of Erik ten Hag.United avoided defeat during his brief stint at the club, where he scored 150 goals in 219 appearances, winning three games and drawing once.But he was shown the exit door once Ruben Amorim insisted on bringing his own coaching staff over from Sporting Lisbon.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSAmorim needs A LOT of time on training pitch to fix Man Utd… unfortunately he won’t get it, writes Charlie WyettIN theory at least, the only way is up for Manchester United, writes Charlie Wyett.We are nearly a third of the way through this Premier League season and it is still staggering to see United lurking in 12th place.They have managed just four wins with a goal difference of 0. Only Everton, Crystal Palace and Southampton have scored less.It is certainly not a false position and a point at Ipswich illustrated the massive job that Ruben Amorim faces.United’s fans sang the name of their new manager throughout the game.They also gave the players rapturous applause on the final whistle and although this was an improvement on some of the performances this season, the bar has been set pretty low.The club’s optimistic supporters will see that their team is only six points off the top four.  Ultimately, though, it is difficult to see United even reaching last season’s final position of eighth as they look worse.United’s patched-up defence will improve – and a three-man formation at the back will help them – but you have to wonder where the goals are going to come from. Marcus Rashford struck after 81 seconds and then went missing for the rest of his 68 minutes on the pitch.Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee were also introduced in that double change midway inside the second half but added absolutely nothing. What a terrible couple of signings they have proved to be and United’s fans would swap both of them for Ipswich’s Liam Delap.Amorim did not celebrate the Rashford goal and paced around his technical area throughout looking uneasy.Each time there was a break in play, he called over players for instructions.Alejandro Garnacho headed over to the touchline on a couple of occasions while there were also words for Diogo Dalot, Casemiro and Jonny Evans.Amorim, a manager with infectious enthusiasm, will be hopeful he can get his message across to all of the players in the next few weeks.But the problem for the Portuguese coach is that this was the first of 10 games in the space of 33 days.What he really needs are spells on the training ground without a midweek game but he does not have that luxury.Van Nistelrooy is immensely proud of his brief stint in charge of his former club.He wrote on social media after his departure: “To everyone at Manchester United, in particular the backroom staff, the players and the fans.Ruben Amorim gives instant verdict on Bruno Fernandes, Garnacho and Zirkzee in revealing Sky Sports interview”I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your incredible efforts and support.“It has been a privilege and honour to represent the club as a player, coach and manager.”And I will always cherish the memories we have shared together.“Manchester United will always have a special place in my heart.”And I hope there are many more glory days at Old Trafford very soon – not only because I want the club to do well, but because you all deserve it! “All the best and take care, Ruud.”Ruud van Nistelrooy penned an emotional message to Manchester United fans after his departureCredit: Alamy More