Revealed: The remarkable record Thomas Tuchel is hoping to extend as he takes charge of his first England match… and why he shouldn’t worry if it doesn’t go to plan
Thomas Tuchel is looking extend the staggering winning record of recent England managers when he makes his bow as Three Lions boss.
The German will take charge of his first game on Friday night when England welcome Albania to Wembley in their opening match of 2026 World Cup qualifying.
The European minnows will provide a sterner test than many expect on the evidence of their performances at Euro 2024.
And should England fall to their visitors, Tuchel would become only the second permanent boss to lose his first game in the dugout. In fact, not only have England’s last 10 permanent bosses avoided defeat but all have won their first matches in charge.
The run goes back to Graham Taylor in 1990, when his side ran out 1-0 victors over Hungary at Wembley.
Next came Terry Venables, Glenn Hoddle, Kevin Keegan, Sven-Goran Eriksson, Steve McClaren, Fabio Cappello, Roy Roy Hodgson, Sam Allardyce and Gareth Southgate.
Thomas Tuchel will take charge of his first match as England manager on Friday night at Wembley
The last 10 permanent England managers, going back to Graham Taylor, have won their first match in charge
Nick Barmby was among the goalscorers when the Three Lions defeated Spain 3-0 in Sven Goran-Eriksson’s first match in February 2001
Of the opponents in question, only Eriksson’s 3-0 win over Spain in February 2001 can be looked upon as something of a shock.
Unfortunately for fortune tellers and amateur detectives, little can be deduced from a manager’s first game in the hotseat. The panoply of England bosses differed wildly in results, tenure and style of play.
Indeed, if Tuchel is looking for precedent to guide his mission of clinching the World Cup in 16 months, he ought to heed the example of Sir Alf Ramsey, the only permanent boss to lose his first match.
Ramsey’s men were handily beaten 5-2 by France at the Parc des Princes in 1963. He, of course, would have to wait just three years to lead his side to the nation’s first – and only – major trophy.
Tuchel, however, does not have the luxury of time. The former Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain head coach penned an 18-month deal when he was appointed, meaning he has only one shot to achieve his stated aim.
The Three Lions have come agonisingly close to ending their 59-year wait for a major honour in recent years, losing in the final at both Euro 2020 and Euro 2024.
Ahead of clash against Albania, Tuchel delivered a damning assessment of England’s style under Gareth Southgate at last summer’s tournament, with the 51-year-old saying the team lacked ‘identity’, ‘hunger’ and ‘excitement’.
Listing the ingredients missing, Tuchel said: ‘The identity, the clarity, the rhythm, the repetition of patterns, the freedom of player, the expression of player, the hunger. They were more afraid to drop out of the tournament in my observation than having the excitement and hunger to win.’
Sam Allardyce’s solitary game in the England dugout ended in a 1-0 win to his side in Slovakia
Dele Alli netted the second goal in a comfortable 2-0 win for the Three Lions over Malta in 2016 to ensure Gareth Southgate began with victory
The only England manager to lose his first game in charge is World Cup winner Sir Alf Ramsey
On what he wants from England instead, as they face Albania on Friday night and Latvia on Monday, Tuchel said: ‘I want that when the opponents come out and see our team lined up in the tunnel that they know, oofff, this is going to be tough, they will give us a hard time, these guys are individually good, they play in the best clubs but, oofff, these guys, they seem to be close friends, they seem to be ready to die for each other, this is going to be a tough time.
‘You can be sure that if I say something in a press conference, I have addressed it to the players. The players know my assessment (of Euro 2024) but it’s not even addressed backwards.
‘It’s addressed “what I want now”. The message is up front. I felt they were holding back – the group did not play with enough excitement and togetherness to make it happen.’
