Premier League coaches react as Thomas Tuchel takes over England

Thomas Tuchel was announced as the new boss of England's national soccer team, and if one had to make an educated guess, that move would send shock waves across the soccer world. The English press and fans are naturally divided, but there does seem to be one group that appears pretty much on the same page: Premier League coaches. Major figures such as Pep Guardiola, Erik ten Hag, and Ange Postecoglou, in recent interviews ahead of the league's eighth round of games, sounded optimistic and even excited about the German coach taking charge of the national team.

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Competence over nationality

Pep Guardiola once drove home a salient point about nationality with respect to the selection of coaches to lead national teams: "No human being has control over where we're born," observed Guardiola. "I didn't choose to be Catalan, and Tuchel didn't choose to be German. If the coach of England's national team is English and things go wrong, he'll be destroyed."

Guardiola's words went beyond soccer; he actually touched on a world issue: judging someone by the place they come from. And of course, it resonated in sports just like it does in conflicts everywhere. Not for him was any concern about the actual ability of the coach to coach. And in that respect, Tuchel has loads.

Guardiola's comment also opens up another important issue: England's tradition of hiring coaches of its own nationality. The fact that Tuchel is only the third foreigner to take charge of the English team goes to show there's some resistance to the idea. At any rate, the Manchester City coach underlined a truism: in the end, what really matters is out on the pitch, not about passports.

The transfer market impact and pressure factor

With Tuchel, he is experienced in managing big teams and handling the big pressure moments, thus giving England's national team a perspective that few coaches have offered. The fact that his employment with Chelsea, Bayern Munich, and Paris Saint-Germain showed he knows how to deal with pressure and win. "The FA chose a coach with a name known and respected for his talent," Guardiola reinforced. "I'll support him unconditionally because he'll represent the country in the best way.

It's confidence shared by Erik ten Hag, head coach of Manchester United, also backing the call made by the FA: "Great choice by the FA," ten Hag said. "He's a top-level coach who's built winning teams. England hasn't won since 1966, so it's a good choice to get a win."

That is an interesting view, since it illustrates decades of expectations yet to be properly fulfilled in English soccer. Even with a whole generation of talented players, including names such as Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, the national team has not won any important titles. And that is where the hope regarding Tuchel will come in: his experience in knockout tournaments-as underlined by Tottenham coach Ange Postecoglou.

They have an excellent coach in Thomas," Postecoglou said. "He has a very good record, especially in eliminations. It's a pretty exciting appointment."

The other thing that cannot be put on the backburner is the fact that Tuchel has had the opportunity of managing top talents, an ingredient one cannot avoid talking about in a national team like that of England. German tactician Tuchel has always shown guile in ego management and, most importantly, how to get the best from the so-called big-name players. Spurs manager Postecoglou drew on that quality as he commented on the history of Tuchel, particularly in high-pressure moments.

He's highly respected, and there's a great group of players right now that's just beginning to emerge globally," Postecoglou said.

In the national team of England, he will have a squad full of world-class players. How to get those stars united under one umbrella is the challenge that Tuchel has surely mastered. Postecoglou further pinpointed that Tuchel is that kind of coach who knows how to handle the pressure of big moments-something that will be crucial in international tournaments.