Thomas Tuchel will be ‘delighted’ if England beat Germany, claims Dutch ex-Three Lions coach Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink as he hails ‘exciting’ replacement for his former boss Gareth Southgate

England have confirmed the appointment of Thomas Tuchel as the Three Lions’ new head coach, with the German succeeding Gareth Southgate. The move makes him only the third foreign manager to take charge of the England national men’s team after Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, a former Netherlands international, served as a coach under Southgate and has revealed he absolutely loved beating his home country this summer at Euro 2024. He has suggested that the same will be the case with Tuchel against Germany.

• WHAT HASSELBAINK SAID

  Speaking to BoyleSports about the latest football betting, Hasselbaink said: “It doesn’t matter that Thomas Tuchel isn’t English. When we beat the Netherlands at Euro 2024 there was no sentimental feeling for me as an England coach, it was just one of those things.

  “I was really focused and determined for us to win and I was delighted for the staff and the players that we won the semi-final. It will be the same for Tuchel.”
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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Tuchel’s appointment has divided the country, with much made over the decision not to hire a homegrown coach. Sky Sports duo Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher have particularly been critical, but Hasselbaink defended the FA’s call.

  He said: “It’s a difficult one, I understand why Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher have said that it would be better to have an English manager, but who is available?

  “Even when you look at all the English managers in general, which of those have a better pedigree and CV than Tuchel? I don’t think any of them do.

  “What we had under Gareth Southgate was unique, I don’t think Tuchel should get questioned because he isn’t English, I knew what my job was when I was working for England and that’s what I did to the best of my ability.

  “It doesn’t matter where he is from, all that matters is that he’s the best person to deliver.”

• WHAT NEXT FOR TUCHEL?

  Tuchel will take charge of the Three Lions at the start of 2025. For the time being, they will remain under the care of interim boss Lee Carsley, who will lead them in their last two games of the Nations League group stage in November.