Leeds United’s head coach Daniel Farke has dismissed criticisms surrounding the appointment of German Thomas Tuchel as England’s national football manager.
Tuchel, 51, has signed an 18-month contract and will begin his role on January 1, with Anthony Barry, an Englishman, serving as his assistant.
The appointment has sparked mixed reactions, with some media figures and fans questioning the selection of a non-English coach for the national team. However, Farke, who shares a similar career trajectory with Tuchel from their time at Borussia Dortmund, stated:
“I don’t believe too much in this ‘passport’ debate, to be really honest.”
Reflecting on the cultural similarities between England and Germany, Farke added:
“England is my second home. The football mentality here is very close to what we have in Germany. In Germany, we’d have the same debate if a foreign manager took charge of our national team. It’s not a decision against a national manager but one for Thomas’s quality. It’s a really, really good choice.”
Farke also addressed Jurgen Klopp’s new role with Red Bull as head of global football, confirming that it would have no direct impact on Leeds despite Red Bull’s commercial ties with the club.
“We are Leeds United, not a Red Bull team,” Farke emphasized.
