The FA

MARK BULLINGHAM claimed there is a lack of top-quality English coaches to choose from — yet never approached Eddie Howe.The FA chief executive insists he had to go abroad for a new boss and that Thomas Tuchel was the ideal candidate.The FA did not speak to Eddie Hower for the England jobCredit: GettyThomas Tuchel was the leading candidate for the FACredit: GettyBullingham revealed the FA spoke to ten managers but SunSport understands Newcastle boss Howe was not one of them.He said: “We ran a really clear process. We spoke to approximately ten throughout the process.“Clearly some were more up for the role than others.“We were absolutely delighted to end up with Thomas and we believe he gives us the best chance of winning the World Cup.”READ MORE IN FOOTBALLAlthough Howe was not spoken to, the FA knew that Newcastle would have demanded a large amount of compensation.Another English boss in the running was Graham Potter, out of work since being sacked by Chelsea last year.But Bullingham still believes the pathway for English coaches is clear.He said: “If you look at St George’s Park overall, it has been a really good success.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSANDY DILLON: Thomas Tuchel has all the ingredients to become a classic England manager – tactical nous, drive and a tangled love lifeBy Andy DillonTHOMAS TUCHEL possesses all the ingredients to become a classic England manager.Tactical nous, drive, energy, experience – a tangled love life.English football should welcome back the most explosive, dynamic, charismatic and impossibly tall and gangly coach to have lit up the Premier League.Chelsea’s colourful former boss has been leading a settled life in Munich of late.Far enough away from ex-wife Sissi but close enough to see his two daughters.Walking his dog in the streets in the east of Germany’s most fashionable city, residing in the posh Bogenhausen area. Living relatively quietly with his Brazilian girlfriend.Tuchel is a vastly different personality to the man who led England quietly but assuredly to the brink of World Cups and European Championships.An excitable nature can make him hard to handle for those seeking calm and who like to impose their way on a manager they view very much as an underling.Read more on why Tuchel REALLY IS the best man for the England job“Our pathway is really strong, both from a coaches and players point of view. There are a lot of fantastic young coaches.”Clearly you would love to have five to ten domestic candidates who are coaching clubs in your domestic league, challenging and winning honours in your domestic league and European football.Thomas Tuchel England Press ConferenceInside FA’s thrilling chase for TuchelTHE FA’s path to securing Thomas Tuchel’s signature was not a straightforward one.They tried to lure Pep Guardiola from Manchester City over the summer.They even made contact with Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti after deciding to target trophy-laden foreign gaffers.The FA’s determination to go international was summed up by their decision NOT to interview Newcastle boss Eddie Howe.Initial talks with Tuchel saw him express a slight interest in replacing Gareth Southgate.But he was waiting to see what would happen at Manchester United, with Erik ten Hag’s future under the spotlight.Man Utd owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe eventually decided to stick with Ten Hag – and that opened the door to the FA getting their man.Read the full story on England’s thrilling pursuit of Thomas Tuchel.“We are not quite in that place at the moment.“As we set out our process, our priority was to find someone that can give our players the best possible chance to win.“We have found that, and we have got Thomas — and we are delighted.”Aside from Howe, only Everton’s Sean Dyche and Wolves’ Gary O’Neil are English Prem bosses but Southampton’s Russell Martin was born in England despite playing for Scotland.Ashley Cole has been appointed as a full-time national coach at the FA.And Lee Carsley returns to lead the Under-21s after his stint as seniors boss ends this year.Bullingham added: “We would love to have more English coaches managing in the Premier League.”Tuchel’s English No 2 at Chelsea and Bayern Munich, Anthony Barry, will join the German in the Three Lions dugout.READ MORE SUN STORIESAnd Bullingham said: “We had a clear recruitment plan in place before the Euros and a shortlist if we needed it.“Thomas was absolutely outstanding, providing a really clear vision for the role and how he would work with our players.” More

FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION bosses are edging closer to appointing Thomas Tuchel as England’s new boss.The former Chelsea manager is now in advanced talks with the FA over becoming the long-term successor to Gareth Southgate, who quit after Euro 2024.FA chiefs are in talks with Thomas Tuchel’s representativesCredit: PAAlthough a deal has yet to be officially agreed, discussions will continue over the next 24 hours and the FA appear to be hopeful of getting their man.Tuchel, 51, would become the Three Lions’ third overseas boss behind Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello.The FA appointing a German might not be a universally popular decision but he has experience of winning trophies – including the 2021 Champions League title with Chelsea.He was sacked last season by Bayern Munich, although he enjoys a good relationship with Harry Kane after signing him from Spurs.Read More in FootballDiscussing Tuchel’s potential appointment, the striker said: “Until it’s announced obviously I can’t really comment, but we have to wait and see.”Obviously, I know Thomas well from last year. Fantastic coach, fantastic person, so I am sure the guys at the FA will contact me, when they know more about it.”A former manager of Dortmund, Tuchel won the Ligue 1 title in France twice with PSG.Lee Carsley was initially appointed as England’s interim manager but he has not been seen as a suitable candidate.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSForgotten England stars could benefit from Tuchel appointmentWITH Thomas Tuchel in the frame to be the next England manager, a few forgotten stars might be hopeful of a return to the international set up.The former Chelsea and Bayern Munich manager usually uses a 3-4-3 formation.That could provide an opening for Mason Mount, who’s not been involved in the England set-up since the World Cup in 2022.The now Manchester United star enjoyed his most successful spell under Tuchel while the pair were at Stamford Bridge.Tuchel could also offer lifelines to other previously capped players such as Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Eric Dier.RLC has excelled since his move to AC Milan and with England struggling to find a partner for Rice, he could be the surprise answer.Meanwhile, Dier played for Tuchel at Bayern Munich as part of a back-three last season.The defender did enough to convince the club to make his loan move permanent after he had fallen out of favour at Tottenham.Click here to see the full England XI who could play under Tuchel.Carsley sparked fresh confusion over his future by appearing to rule himself out of contention for the England job  — then back in again just minutes later.He initially claimed the Three Lions deserve a “world-class coach who has won trophies” and that he is “still on the path to that” after England’s 3-1 win over Finland on Sunday.How to cure England’s Bellingham, Foden and Palmer headacheBut then insisted it was “definitely” wrong to assume he does not want the job permanently.The FA also sounded out Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola and he remains committed to his club for the time being.Newcastle’s Eddie Howe was also on the list but the FA were worried about the amount of compensation they would have to pay.Aside from attracting interest from the FA, Tuchel has also been a candidate to take over from Erik ten Hag at Manchester United.England’s next two games in the Nations League, when Tuchel could be in charge, are against Greece and Ireland next month.Thomas Tuchel’s career record2007-2008 – Augsburg II2009-2014 – Mainz 052015-2017 – Borussia Dortmund2018-2020 – Paris Saint-Germain2021-2022 – Chelsea2023-2024 – Bayern MunichTrophies: 1x Champions League1x FIFA Club World Cup1x Bundesliga2x Ligue 11x UEFA Supercup1x German Cup2x French Super Cup More

LEE CARSLEY has been told he will NOT get the England job, SunSport can reveal.The FA are believed to have added Pep Guardiola to the shortlist to replace Gareth Southgate.Pep Guardiola is believed to be one of the front-runners to succeed Gareth SouthgateCredit: RexLee Carsley has been told he will not get the job full-timeCredit: GettyCarsley, 50, is understood to have accepted the FA’s decision without complaint.He agreed to act as caretaker boss for six England games this autumn, during which time he has been repeatedly questioned about his plans.SunSport’s revelation that Carsley had already been told the FA were looking elsewhere explains his seemingly bizarre comments after the Greece defeat that he would “hopefully be going back to the under 21’s.”Carsley has been criticised for failing to offer clarity but has earned the admiration of his FA bosses for attempting to give nothing away and keeping their recruitment plans secret.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThe FA have been sounding out potential candidates, including Guardiola, since Southgate resigned in July but have yet to hold formal talks with anyone.Carsley’s willingness to take charge of England’s Nations League campaign this autumn has bought the FA some time.He hinted that he was in agreement with the FA’s plans after Sunday’s 3-1 win in Finland without giving much away.He said: “People are always going to try and put their chips on one side. I’m in the middle.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS”My bosses have made it clear what they need from me. This job deserves a world-class coach who has won trophies and I am still on the path to that.”Guardiola, 53, has won 15 trophies in eight years at Manchester City but he is out of contract at the end of the season.England ratings: Angel Gomes is the runaway success of Lee Carsley era but Cole Palmer is anonymousThe FA are hoping they can tempt him to take the England job from the summer onwards.He was coy when asked about his future, saying: “Leaving City? It’s not true, I haven’t decided yet.“And it is not even true that I will be the next England coach. If I had decided I would say it… I don’t know either, anything can happen.”The FA insist they have a shortlist of candidates, but the recruitment process has been complicated by uncertainty over England’s fixture list.It is not even true that I will be the next England coach. If I had decided I would say it… I don’t know either, anything can happen.Pep GuardiolaFA chief executive Mark Bullingham wants a permanent manager in place for the start of England’s 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, but they do not know if that will be next March or the following September.England will start their World Cup campaign in March if they win their Nations League group, but they are currently three points behind Greece with two games remaining.READ MORE SUN STORIESIf England finish second they will enter the Nations League play-offs and be placed in one of the four-team World Cup qualifiying groups, which does not begin until September.The FA declined to comment.DAVE KIDD: Unless we get Pep Guardiola, it’s back to bedlam after calm of Gareth SouthgateBy Dave KiddIT IS easy to forget, after eight serene years of Gareth Southgate, that the default mode for the England football team, and the FA, is one of utter chaos.After last week’s bewildering, headless-chicken home defeat by Greece and the endless, dizzying ramblings from Lee Carsley about whether or not he wants to be Southgate’s full-time successor, it seems like deja vu all over again.Because this was what following England used to feel like.Before Southgate took over — and the Three Lions became supremely competent and professional on and off the field — it really always was stark, raving bonkers.Under Southgate it could be a little boring, a little too cautious, at times. But England rarely lost football matches, always featured at the sharp end of tournaments and were always a serious, rational set-up.It was never the long-running, hopes-up, trousers-down, clown show we endured for decades until one decent, intelligent man in a waistcoat arrived and decided enough was enough.Southgate banked tens of millions as England boss and we can safely assume that he hasn’t custard-gunned it all on drink, drugs and loose women.He confirmed he wants a sabbatical of at least a year before he returns to coaching.And, therefore, he wouldn’t touch the Manchester United job with a bargepole, despite having significant allies on the Old Trafford board.Southgate is enjoying life away from the madhouse.He’s been seeing the family, walking the dogs, watching the cricket and plans to give a talk at Harvard University.Those sort of Gareth things. And good for him.Some of us knew England would miss Southgate dearly but perhaps we didn’t realise quite how soon, and quite how deeply, we would regret his exit.The FA relied on him to a greater extent than they ever realised.As a statesman, a figurehead, a beacon of good sense and decency, as well as a very useful football manager, who was extremely popular with his players.And whatever happens next — whether more interim Carsley, or Graham Potter, or perhaps the colourful loose-cannon Thomas Tuchel arrives from Germany — history tells us that we will probably go back to bedlam.Pep Guardiola? Now that might be a different, if unlikely, prospect.Because the England manager’s role wasn’t called ‘the impossible job’ without good reason.Remember Sam Allardyce resigning after one match, having been caught out acting exactly like Sam Allardyce, boasting over a pint of wine during a covert sting?Remember the Iceland debacle and, before that, the disastrous Brazil World Cup campaign under Roy Hodgson — which had been pretty much predicted by FA chief executive Greg Dyke performing a throat-slitting gesture when the draw was made?Remember the John Terry fiascos under Fabio Capello — when the Chelsea man was stripped of the captaincy for having allegedly diddled the former girlfriend of the reserve left-back, only to be reinstated as captain.And then to be accused of racially abusing the brother of his central defensive partner and for Capello to resign rather than sack Terry as captain again?That was Capello, who claimed he only needed to know 100 words of English and who agreed to take extra money for rating his own players out of 100 in something on the internet called ‘the Capello Index’ at the 2010 World Cup.Yes, kids, all this actually happened.And before that, Steve McClaren, under an umbrella, failing to qualify for the 2008 Euros.And before him, the late Sven-Goran Eriksson and the peak era of low farce — the fake Sheikh, the Beckham circus, the WAGs table-dancing in Baden-Baden, the Faria Alam scandal which ended with FA chief executive Mark Palios resigning after he and Eriksson had both diddled the same secretary.And that was after Kevin Keegan quit in the Wembley toilets, after Glenn Hoddle had resigned for making bizarre comments about disabled people and reincarnation, having employed faith healer Eileen Drewery to lay hands on his players.And dentist chairs and turnips and gambling cultures and missed drug tests and threatened players’ strikes and so on and so, so farcical.Thirty years of hurt have turned into 60 years because Southgate — despite reaching successive Euros finals and overseeing two very decent World Cup campaigns — couldn’t quite get his hands on a trophy.And now the impossible job feels impossible again.Because this is a nation obsessed with the game.Because this is a nation which — I think we’re still allowed to say — was the birthplace of organised, competitive football.Because this is a nation which is home to the richest and most popular league on the face of the Earth.And because this is a nation which still craves the ultimate glory of a first major international title since 1966.As Southgate (left) has frequently reminded us, the England manager’s job brings a uniquely sharp focus.There are 60 million armchair bosses and, when it’s an international break or a summer tournament, England is the only show in town.Expectations, which had dipped after all those years of nut-casery, are now limitless because Southgate came so close, so often.All of this is surely too big for Carsley. It feels too big for Potter, too.And for Tuchel, or most unsuspecting overseas candidates, all of this lunatic history feels too big to comprehend.So if Guardiola really wants a serious new challenge.And if he is really prepared to take a major pay cut, then he is one of the few men truly capable of being up to the job.If not, it will just be back to bedlam again.If not, we might be missing Southgate for a long time to come. More