England boss Tuchel has no interest in being a political football

Thomas Tuchel believes it will benefit England if he is allowed to concentrate on his role as manager of the national football team, rather than becoming involved in political debates.

Gareth Southgate, Tuchel’s predecessor, was drawn into a variety of political and cultural issues during his eight years in charge of England.

Tuchel, however, once said he was “not a politician” when as Chelsea manager he expressed unease even discussing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine soon after Roman Abramovich withdrew from the day-to-day running of the club.

Asked ahead of his first game in charge of England, a World Cup qualifier against Albania at Wembley on Friday, if he understood there was a political element to the post of England manager, Tuchel replied: “First of all, I think in my contract I named myself head coach and not manager as a first step.

“I try to be and I’m very happy that (technical director) John McDermott and (chief executive) Mark Bullingham are at my side, who also take care of the FA (England’s Football Association), who speak up for interests of the FA.

“I think we have the best chance if you allow the head coach to focus on football.”

The 51-year-old German added: “I understand from your perspective maybe the importance of the role, but maybe I can hide a little bit behind being not English and not talking to everything that happens in your country, out of respect, and focus a little bit more on football.”

The example of the 2022 World Cup and rainbow armbands — a planned protest against host nation Qatar’s laws against same sex relationships, eventually banned by FIFA — was raised. 

Tuchel said, in that case, he would have eventually said “we can speak about football now” given a decision about the host nation has been taken.

“I think you can give your opinion once, but at some point it must be allowed for a football team that is sent to a World Cup to be a football team and not be a political statement, and be a political whatever,” said Tuchel.

“Be a political statement and be the political role model for whatever goes on, then it becomes sports-political and people in the federation have to speak up, give their opinion, give the clear position.

“I think it is a clarity that helps in the end because once these decisions are made you can endlessly debate about it but what can the players do? What can the coach do?”