Pep Guardiola reportedly held a verbal agreement to become the England manager prior to the appointment of Thomas Tuchel. Despite the recent disappointment of England’s exit at the hands of Argentina in the World Cup semi-final, the FA appears unlikely to part ways with the German coach. There have been growing calls for Tuchel to be sacked following the team's defeat, particularly due to criticism surrounding his tactical decisions during the match, which saw the Three Lions surrender a lead in a late comeback.
Before deciding to extend his tenure at Manchester City, Guardiola had reached an agreement to succeed Gareth Southgate, according to reports from The Athletic. With Guardiola now a free agent following his departure from City at the end of last season, it is presumed he may still hold interest in the position. However, the FA reaffirmed its commitment to Tuchel following the semi-final loss on Wednesday, and it is highly unlikely Thomas Tuchel will be sacked by the FA (Getty).
Contractual exit clauses existed for both parties, but these would only have been triggered had England been eliminated from the World Cup prior to the quarter-finals. An additional exemption was introduced when it became clear England would face Mexico in the round of 16, a match Tuchel’s side won 3-2. Because England reached the semi-final—only the fourth time in their history—these clauses were never activated. Consequently, Tuchel is expected to remain in his post following a standard post-tournament FA review.
The FA has consistently expressed a desire to keep Tuchel as a long-term manager, having provided him with a contract extension earlier this year to cover the period through Euro 2028. Tuchel himself has appeared satisfied in the role, notably rejecting an approach from Manchester United in January following the departure of Ruben Amorim. Currently, the manager is focused on preparing the squad for Saturday's third-place play-off against France, while the broader public reaction to his tenure remains to be seen. Tottenham: Why James Maddison was not awarded a penalty against Leeds as Premier League issue statement. Spurs midfielder denied a big moment on his return from injury. The Premier League has explained why Tottenham were not awarded a penalty in their draw against Leeds.
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