In 2024, the Football Association (FA) embarked on a mission to find Gareth Southgate's successor. Mark Bullingham, the FA's chief executive, hired two external data companies to build a profile of successful international managers, tailored to England's player base. The top 50 coaches in the world were matched against the criteria, producing a shortlist that Bullingham joked could have been compiled in a pub. However, the data provided valuable insights into relative strengths and weaknesses, such as player development, knockout tournament performance, playing style, tactical flexibility, and proven winning records relative to resources.
Three Categories of Coaches
The process identified three distinct categories: high-potential coaches still developing their careers, elite coaches achieving top results, and super-elite coaches at the pinnacle of their trade. A crucial filter excluded coaches without top-level English football experience or a knack for working with English players. This left five super-elite candidates, including Pep Guardiola and Thomas Tuchel.
The Secret Meeting at Munich Airport
The FA's approach was described as a "rifle shot approach," with personal, patient, and discreet outreach. Thomas Tuchel was the last to be contacted. After an initial hour-long phone call with technical director John McDermott, a face-to-face meeting was arranged in Munich. To maintain secrecy, the FA rented a private room at Munich Airport, with McDermott and Bullingham flying separately to avoid recognition.
Bullingham recalls: "I think it's safe to say Thomas blew us away. He had a PowerPoint presentation about how to put a second star on the shirt, covering the next 18 months, days at St George's Park, how to get the best out of players, and how to maintain relationships. It was the type of presentation you might expect on a third or fourth meeting—and still be impressed by—but this was the first proper meeting."
The Anthony Barry Bonus
An added benefit was the inclusion of Anthony Barry, a highly regarded English coach, as part of Tuchel's staff. This allowed the FA to integrate an outstanding young English coach into the system. Bullingham explained that nationality was not decisive due to the shallow talent pool of English managers capable of winning tournaments.
The FA also spoke to at least three English candidates, partly with an eye on the future. However, for the top job, the priority was finding someone who could inspire the players and deliver victory. As Bullingham put it: "The overwhelming criteria was I wanted someone we could put in front of the players and they would say: 'Thank you, you've given us a chance to win.'"
This extract is from Inside England: Behind the Scenes of the Three Lions' World Cup Dream by Rob Draper and Jonathan Northcroft.
