Thomas Tuchel handed 'real big issues' at England as he finally replaces Lee Carsley

Micah Richards thinks soon-to-be England manager Thomas Tuchel has immoderate beauteous hefty problems connected his hands, but his podcast workfellow Alan Shearer isn't truthful sure

Thomas Tuchel has immoderate "real large issues" to benignant out, according to Micah Richards as helium prepares to instrumentality implicit arsenic England manager.

The German manager volition officially instrumentality the reins connected January 1 earlier spearheading the Three Lions' 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign. After a mates of iffy performances successful October, England picked up 2 wins from 2 past week to extremity Lee Carsley's interim stint connected a precocious and unafraid transition backmost to the apical tier of the Nations League.

Looking up to Tuchel's reign, Richards said helium was acrophobic astir however galore apical players were successful England's endowment pool, and suggested the erstwhile Chelsea brag mightiness find it pugnacious not lone to acceptable everybody in, but besides to support dressing country harmony. "When you look astatine it, astatine times he's played a 3-4-2-1, he's got immoderate existent large contented to benignant successful presumption of personnel," the 36-year-old said connected The Rest Is Football podcast.

"If you look astatine what Cole Palmer's doing week in, week retired for Chelsea, he's got to play. Jude Bellingham has to play, what helium gives the team. Harry Kane, we'd each accidental helium astir apt needs to play due to the fact that of what helium tin give, his goalscoring record, however helium tin nexus up.

"Then you've got players similar [Bukayo] Saka, [Ollie] Watkins, [Phil] Foden, it's difficult," Richards added. "What we didn't springiness [Gareth] Southgate capable recognition for astatine the clip was having each these fantastic players and [being able] to acceptable them each in. It's astir getting that equilibrium right, and I deliberation helium [Tuchel] has got to spell for the champion equilibrium for the team, alternatively than conscionable trying to get the idiosyncratic brilliance in."

Alan Shearer interjected, saying helium thought Tuchel would person small occupation successful dropping a apical subordinate for the involvement of squad balance. "He won't beryllium acrophobic to upset players and he'll archer it however it is... and I don't deliberation it'll beryllium a occupation due to the fact that I don't deliberation he'll attraction if helium upsets immoderate big-name players," the Newcastle legend, 54, said.

"I don't deliberation that [dropping oregon upsetting large players] is an contented for him, due to the fact that of his record, due to the fact that of what he's won, he's already walking successful what that connected his shoulders. So for him to past permission a large subordinate out, I don't deliberation that's an issue. I don't deliberation it's a large problem. It's ne'er a large occupation erstwhile you've got truthful galore fantastic players.

"He's walking into an unthinkable dressing country with immoderate large players, but he's besides a large manager who's won astir things, truthful with that backmost up helium goes successful and does what helium wants. Ultimately you're going to beryllium judged connected results, and if the players don't similar it erstwhile he's getting results, past helium won't instrumentality them with him."

The FA unveiled Tuchel, 51, arsenic Southgate's successor successful October, though eyebrows were raised erstwhile it was announced helium wouldn't beryllium starting until the New Year. He's been handed an 18-month contract, meaning that helium mightiness lone get the accidental to pb England into 1 large planetary tourney (the 2026 Word Cup).

As Shearer mentioned, Tuchel isn't acrophobic to butt heads with large names if the concern calls for it. At Dortmund helium reportedly had spats with defender Mats Hummels, portion astatine PSG helium often clashed with the club's sporting manager Leonardo.

He infamously fell retired with £97.5million striker Romelu Lukaku astatine Chelsea aft the Belgian conducted an ill-advised interview connected Italian TV, criticising Tuchel's tactical approach. It's besides understood helium came to blows with Joshua Kimmich and Thomas Muller astatine Bayern Munich arsenic the German giants mislaid their grip connected the Bundesliga rubric for the archetypal clip successful implicit a decennary past season.

According to Kane, who worked with him astatine the Allianz Arena, Tuchel "won't shy distant from confrontation", but "gets that equilibrium right" betwixt fostering an enjoyable moving situation and ensuring absorption is astatine the highest level possible.

"He’s a truly bully motivator," the England skipper told The Standard. "And tactically he’s known for being 1 of the best. It volition beryllium absorbing for him due to the fact that helium volition acquisition lone having 10-day camps and past not seeing america for a fewer months.

"Talking to the boys who worked with him astatine Chelsea, they seemed to get connected good with him. He gets that equilibrium close of having a spot of banter […], but erstwhile you’re connected the transportation it is afloat focus.

"He won’t shy distant from confrontation if request be. I deliberation helium volition beryllium precise straight-talking successful the media. But helium volition ever support his players. He is beauteous consecutive successful however helium talks, and possibly determination were immoderate players who didn’t similar that oregon hold with that [at Bayern]. Probably travel March determination volition beryllium players who mightiness disagree with immoderate things. Time volition tell, but I americium looking guardant to reuniting with him."

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