Gary Lineker snubs Thomas Tuchel and names his pick who 'fit the bill' to be next England manager

Gary Lineker

Gary Lineker feels Lee Carsley would have been suited to the job

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Stuart Ballard

By Stuart Ballard


Published: 17/10/2024

- 09:45

Thomas Tuchel will become the next England manager in the New Year.

Gary Lineker has revealed he would have gone with Lee Carsley as the next permanent England manager over Thomas Tuchel.

The FA announced Tuchel as their permanent successor to Gareth Southgate this week after an 'extensive interview process' dating back to July.


Mark Bullingham said that around 10 managers were interviewed for the position while Carsley held the interim role as England boss.

There was a suggestion in September that Carsley was the favourite to be given the job after impressive results and performances against the Republic of Ireland and Finland.

Gary Lineker

Gary Lineker feels Lee Carsley would have been suited to the job

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But the FA have opted to go with Tuchel, who is making his first foray into international football management.

The decision has been criticised by some who feel that Tuchel's appointment is an insult to the current selection of homegrown managers.

Lineker also believes the manager should have been English and feels Carsley was more than enough qualified to take the role permanently.

"We're starting to see some really talented young English coaches - Eddie Howe at Newcastle, Graham Potter, Russell Martin," Lineker said on the Football Daily podcast.

"These are coaches now that are actually trying to play out from the back and are more tactically aware.

"At the moment, they didn't seem fit to go for an English coach.

"I think Lee Carsley would have fit the bill perfectly.

"We've seen in the last two major tournaments, they have been won by two coaches that have not really coached teams from the league - they have come through the system.

Thomas Tuchel

Thomas Tuchel will start as the England boss next year

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"I think we have got the coaches but they haven't quite built the trust in them enough for the FA to go 'we want someone that has won trophies,' even though the last two major tournaments were won by coaches that had never won trophies for clubs.

"I would have [chosen Lee Carsley]. He won the Under-21 European Championships with a lot of these players without even conceding a goal so he is no question an imaginative coach."

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Lee Carsley

Lee Carsley was one of the frontrunners for the England job permanently

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Carsley will remain in charge of next month's international fixtures against the Republic of Ireland and Greece despite Tuchel's contract already being signed.

“We were always really clear with Lee that he had three international windows to run the Nations League and we think that was the right thing to do," Bullingham explained.

“Thomas was always clear that he wanted his absolute focus on the World Cup.

“To come in on the first of January, on an initial 18-month project, to see if he can do as good as possible in the USA, it worked for him and it worked for us.”

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