Wayne Rooney Surprised by Tuchel's England Appointment

Wayne Rooney expressed surprise at the appointment of Thomas Tuchel as England’s head coach, stating that he expected the Football Association (FA) to choose a homegrown candidate. Tuchel, the first non-British coach to lead the men’s team since Fabio Capello’s departure in 2012 will take over from Gareth Southgate in January. Rooney, who played under both Capello and Sven-Goran Eriksson acknowledged Tuchel’s coaching ability but questioned the FA’s decision.

Interim manager Lee Carsley will guide the team for next month’s Nations League matches against Greece and the Republic of Ireland. Carsley previously led England to victory in the European Under-21 Championship last year. Rooney pointed out the success of England’s youth teams which won the under-20 and under-17 World Cups in 2017, following the establishment of the FA’s national football center at St George’s Park in 2012.

He emphasized that this center has created a strong platform for young coaches and players. Despite his surprise, Rooney wished Tuchel well in his new role, hoping he could help England succeed. With 120 caps and 53 goals for England, a record only surpassed by Harry Kane in March 2023, Rooney’s extensive international experience includes participating in three World Cups and three European Championships.

He noted the unique challenges of having a foreign coach during international tournaments, reflecting on his own experiences. Wayne Rooney concluded by recognizing Tuchel’s professionalism and expressed confidence that he would do everything possible to help England achieve victory on the international stage.