England’s new manager Thomas Tuchel says he will ‘start learning’ national anthem

Thomas Tuchel has told Sky News he will “start learning” the national anthem following questions over whether he will sing it before England games.

The 51-year-old German, who has been officially unveiled as the Three Lions’ new head coach, told a news conference he had not yet made up his mind over the issue.

However, speaking afterwards with Sky News sports correspondent Rob Harris, Tuchel said: “I will absolutely start learning it.

“I experienced it three times here at Wembley in the cup finals two or three times – it was very moving. I don’t want to offend people.”

He added: “I will now get a feeling for it, what people think, and what the atmosphere is for that, and take my decision but it will not change my approach on how much I will work in my dream to make it happen.”

It comes following a row over current interim manager Lee Carsley, who represented Ireland as a player, after he announced he would not sing God Save The King before Three Lions matches.

Following questions from journalists at an earlier news conference, Tuchel said: “I will take a little bit of time for this decision.”

The Football Association revealed during the briefing on Wednesday that it had considered around 10 candidates for the role, which Tuchel will take up in 2025.

The governing body’s chief executive Mark Bullingham said: “We interviewed approximately 10 people, we interviewed some English candidates within that. You wouldn’t expect me to divulge any more than that.”

When asked if any of them turned down the opportunity, Mr Bullingham replied: “Clearly some were more up for the role than others. But we were absolutely delighted to end up with Thomas.”

Mr Bullingham added: “We believe he gives us the best chance of winning the World Cup so we believe we got the best candidate for the job.”

Before taking the England job, Tuchel had been strongly linked with Manchester United, whose manager Erik ten Hag is under pressure.

Asked about those reports and why he chose England specifically, Tuchel said: “The idea and the way Mark (Bullingham) and John (McDermott, the FA’s technical director) presented it was very fast, very exciting, very confidential and trustful.

“It was very straightforward. This was a decision for this job and not a decision against anyone else.

“I will not comment on any other clubs.”

Tuchel launches charm offensive – but performances on the pitch will matter most

Rob Harris

Sports correspondent

@RobHarris

Facing hostility and hysteria comes with the territory – even for English managers of England.

So all Thomas Tuchel could attempt was a charm offensive at his Wembley unveiling – flaunting the shirt on the pitch.

There was the prepared and much-repeated line about dreaming of putting a second star on the shirt by winning the 2026 World Cup.

And talking up his affection for England and football here.

The German claimed to have been spared sight of the Daily Mail back page headline that greeted his appointment as a “dark day for England” – harking back to Sven-Goran Eriksson’s appointment in 2000 being decried as “selling our birthright”.

Unlike Eriksson and Fabio Capello before him, this third foreign manager of the Three Lions has actually coached here.

Tuchel won’t want to dwell on how short that spell was – lasting just 15 months at Chelsea — but instead on the turnaround and rapid success.

Although it is the lesser-regarded Club World Cup on his CV, winning any form of senior World Cup has not been achieved by an England manager since Sir Alf Ramsey in 1966.

But the mission to end 58 years of hurt is not just about tactically transforming the team.

It is about a connection with the fans where symbolism can become a fixation – and the team can be used to gauge the parading of patriotism.
“I will absolutely start learning it [the national anthem],” Tuchel told Sky News, remembering it being played at Wembley cup finals when he was in charge at Chelsea.

“It was very moving, but I haven’t taken my decision yet if I will sing it or not. I have a bit of time for that.

“And even with the decision, I do not want to offend people. I’ll get a feeling for it, what people think and what the atmosphere is for that.”

Even the fear of offending shows how much of this job can be treading on eggshells – where oddities, absurdities and controversies can distract from the main job.

Tuchel said he was convinced to take the job because it was about football “not sport politics”.

That could be wishful thinking after Gareth Southgate had to navigate everything from Brexit to human rights – while still leading England to back-to-back European Championship finals.

Ultimately for Tuchel it is about how to get the team over the line to land silverware.

“We believe that we have everything that it takes,” Tuchel said. “But it is on us now to find the right ingredients and to build the right group with the right mindset to make it happen.”

And Tuchel has demonstrated the mindset and determination to rise from coaching in the lower leagues in Germany to one of the biggest jobs in world football.

He talked a good game today. From March, on the pitch, he will have to start delivering.

In an earlier video message to fans, Tuchel said he was aiming for a “second star” on England’s shirt – which can only be achieved by winning the World Cup.

Speaking from Wembley Stadium, the former Chelsea boss said: “I’m quite a bit nervous, this is my first message as England head coach.

“There is a reason to be a bit nervous, I think it is a good thing. I can promise I am very excited and very honoured.

“We will do everything to qualify for the World Cup and then try to get the second star on our shirt.”

Read more:
What we know about England’s new manager
As it happened: Tuchel news conference live
Tuchel signs England manager deal

Tuchel also said he hoped to win over sceptical fans who believe the Three Lions should only be managed by an Englishman.

He said: “I will do everything to show respect to this role and to this country… no matter what [my] national passport says I am.”

Tuchel said he believed the England men’s team had the “ingredients” to win their first major tournament since the 1966 World Cup.

He also declined to say if Harry Kane, who he managed at Bayern Munich, will remain England captain, saying it was “too early to answer these kinds of questions”.

Tuchel’s contract lasts for 18 months and was signed last Tuesday, the FA also revealed.