Thomas Tuchel will start as England head coach on January 1, 2025 with the mission of winning the 2026 World Cup.
The "Three Lions" 5-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland has secured promotion back to UEFA Nations League A. And more importantly, that means Tuchel can start his England tenure with World Cup qualifiers instead of a chaotic play-off.
Tuchel's short 18-month contract shows the FA's focus on specific goals. England have reached two consecutive EURO finals under Gareth Southgate and caretaker manager Lee Carsley has also won five of his six games in charge.
Goals from Harry Kane, Anthony Gordon, Conor Gallagher, Jarrod Bowen and Taylor Harwood-Bellis against Ireland at Wembley showed the "Three Lions" are thriving. However, Tuchel still has many problems to solve when he starts working next year, including the role of Harry Kane.
Kane's penalty against Ireland was his 69th international goal. And this goal also showed the 31-year-old striker's commitment to the England team.
Kane's loyalty to England has never been doubted, but the 31-year-old's position is becoming shaky. Kane was helpless as the "Three Lions" struggled to break down Ireland's defence in the first half. It was only when Liam Scales was sent off that the visitors' defence was weakened.
When he was in charge of Bayern Munich, Tuchel's personal wish was to sign Kane from Tottenham last summer. Therefore, the German strategist taking charge will be a positive thing for the 31-year-old striker. However, Watkins and Dominic Solanke will still be potential threats to Kane's position.
Both Watkins and Solanke are fast and dynamic, in contrast to Kane's preference for deep-lying and synchronizing play. Tuchel has flexible tactics and must decide a clear plan to promote Kane's strengths.
For example, a team that attacked strongly, pressing high like when Tuchel was in charge of Chelsea did not seem to suit Kane's skill set. In his managing career, Tuchel has used the 4-2-3-1 formation the most (130 matches). Next is 4-3-3 (62 matches) and third is 3-4-2-1 (56 matches).
Looking forward to the 2026 World Cup, the "Three Lions" need a revolution to realize their championship dream. After all, they can't rely on a striker who has lost much of his pace and endurance. Kane still has the instinct of a "Murderer" but what England need is a new source of energy.
