Harry Redknapp's scathing verdict on Thomas Tuchel's appointment as England manager

The FA has moved quickly to appoint Thomas Tuchel as the new England manager, but the decision has not gone down well with former Tottenham and Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp

Former Birmingham City manager Harry Redknapp has expressed his disappointment after the FA opted to go international by naming Thomas Tuchel as Gareth Southgate's successor. The German tactician is set to take the helm as the new Three Lions manager, with a press conference arranged for 1.30pm at Wembley on Wednesday.

Following rapid developments in negotiations on Tuesday, the Football Association was quick to finalise the agreement with Tuchel. Once his appointment is officially announced, Tuchel will be the third foreign manager to lead England, following in the footsteps of Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello.

However, Redknapp, who lifted the FA Cup with Portsmouth and was previously in the running for the England job, voiced his concerns to Sky Sports News: "He's lost his job quite quickly at a couple of clubs."

He added, "It's not like he's been a massive success. He's come and gone at a couple of clubs. I'm very patriotic, I think we should have an English manager but obviously the field was very small to choose from."

Despite Redknapp's reservations, Tuchel comes with a wealth of top-tier managerial experience, having led Chelsea to Champions League victory in 2021 and managed teams like Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich. This move comes amidst rumours that the FA had also approached Manchester City's boss Pep Guardiola, reports the Mirror.

The FA had previously stated at the beginning of their search in July that nationality would not be a barrier, as they were looking for the best candidate for the role. In the meantime, Under-21 coach Lee Carsley has been overseeing the senior team for their Nations League fixtures this autumn.

Lee Carsley had been considered a strong contender for the England managerial role, but with his future intentions remaining unclear, there has been renewed speculation about who will take up the reins. England's recent defeat to Greece last Thursday only fuelled rumours that the Football Association (FA) would cast their net wider in search of new leadership.

The available Thomas Tuchel, having left Bayern Munich the previous summer and possessing a record of managing clubs like Mainz and Borussia Dortmund, was quickly identified as a leading candidate. This potential appointment would see Tuchel reuniting with England captain Harry Kane, whom he previously coached at Bayern.

Reflecting on this prospect on Tuesday before any formal announcement, Harry Kane shared with Sky Sports News: "I haven't been told anything. Until it is announced I can't really comment but obviously I know Thomas well from last year. He is a fantastic coach, a fantastic person. I'm sure the guys at the FA will contact me when they know more about it."

Former England defender Stuart Pearce, meanwhile, spoke to talkSPORT about the expectations that would befall Tuchel should he take the position, noting the country's aspirations after Gareth Southgate's tenure: "When Gareth left in the summer people were saying, 'We need to go the next step.'".

Pearce, who boasts 78 caps to his name, also added his thoughts on what constitutes this "next step": "Where is the next step from getting to finals and being runner-up? The next step is winning trophies. That will be the expectation and I think he's got a really tough tournament in a year-and-a-half to attempt to win the World Cup in the (United) States, Mexico and Canada. That's a tough prospect."