Thomas Tuchel extends his England contract

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0:40This is the Football Daily Podcast with Eleanor Oldroyd. Hello and welcome to the Football Daily. We've got an extra episode for you today on the news that Thomas Tuchel has extended his contract with England beyond the World Cup and Nottingham Forest are closing in on their fourth manager of the season. We'll come on to that shortly. But let's start with Thomas Tuchel, who has extended his contract as England manager through to Euro 2028. His deal was due to run until this summer's World Cup. Our football correspondent John Murray and Michael Brown are with me. John, Thomas Tuchel came in originally, didn't he, with this 18-month target of the World Cup.

1:19So are you surprised that we've had this contract extension at this point? Well, I'm talking to you at the moment where all is quiet now, but I'm in the hall at the Brussels Expo, which is where the Nations League draw took place today. So you had, just a few minutes ago, the usual frenzy of international football managers that you get in the interview hall after one of these draws. But let me tell you, Thomas Tuchel was very much the centre of the tension, the man of the moment after that news this morning, which I would say, yes, did come as a surprise when it was announced this morning because I fully expected to come here and be asking Thomas Tuchel about where he stood with all of the well-publicised interest there was.

2:05Any big job that has come up or will come up, Thomas Tuchel was mentioned in connection with that. But the Football Association have acted and Thomas Tuchel has signed this new contract, two-year extension, which takes him up to Euro 2028, which is being staged in the UK and Ireland. and obviously when I spoke to him just now, the first thing I asked him about was how he feels about it. I'm very proud, of course. I mean, the two main reasons I took the job and I was so happy about the job in the first place was the amazing group of players that I absolutely wanted to coach and wanted to be close with and the support and the trust that I felt straight away from the Federation.

2:46All these things have only grown stronger in the last year. We had a great campaign qualifying for the World Cup, So after this campaign, we started the talks again and felt that we want to both commit. The Federation wanted to commit. I was happy to commit for two more years to complete the full cycle. So this is what we did. And I'm very happy, very proud. I clearly remember, though, when you were first announced as the England manager saying, you know me, I don't stay much longer than two years in any job. So everything's changed. Yes, let's finish and then make sure that it changes and that I'm still in the job because we all know it is about performance in this level of sports and we need to earn our contract day by day and week by week and that's what we are trying to do now, to make everyone proud and get the results that everyone wishes for.

3:41And of course, now the focus will very clearly be on England and the World Cup and beyond as well. because, as you will be well aware, there's been a great deal of speculation about club jobs that will come up, could potentially come up, Manchester United obviously part of that. Did you feel that this had to be done to avoid there being a distraction of any kind? It didn't have to be done, but it was a very positive, very welcome side effect of it. It was, in the opposite, very important for me that we don't do it just to have clarity in the World Cup, but we do it if we are convinced and Mark, especially Mark Bollinger, I'll just make this very clear from the beginning.

4:22But it is, no doubt, a very welcome side effect that we have clarity, no more speculation, no more rumours. We have two tournaments together and a Nations League to go. And I understand the focus is on the World Cup and what's coming up, the preparation for that. But you now know what lies ahead in the autumn. And that's a daunting line-up, isn't it? Spain, Croatia, Czechia, Czech Republic. Yeah, it's a proper line-up and very difficult matches, very competitive. But honestly, it's a bit a weird moment because the focus is actually 100 % on the World Cup. And that's why let's talk about it after.

5:00Honestly, I know that the draw was today. The group looks very competitive. Lee Carsley made sure that we are back in League A. That's where we want to compete. And that's what we became. And listen, I know we've kind of touched on this before, but have you found that international management has perhaps surprised even you how comfortable and how much you've enjoyed it and therefore you want to continue? Yeah, it was also a point, yeah, and that was basically the point why I voted strongly for only an 18-month contract in the first place because I said, listen, I have never done this. Can I first make sure that I love this and that I feel committed to the team and I feel connected to the team because I think that is needed to be the best version of myself and especially after September, October, November, this was clearly the case.

5:55I was very energised with the way what we built together and from there I was totally committed to the idea to stay longer and I'm very happy and very proud to have the chance to lead the team and the country into two tournaments. There's one other issue I'd just like to ask you about as well, Thomas. You're probably aware one of the big talking points today is what Jim Radcliffe of Manchester United has had to say about how he feels the country has, in his words, been colonised by immigrants. And I think it is relevant to talk to you about this because you have come and settled in England and also, more importantly, so many of the England players have family history which has seen them come to England.

6:39What are your thoughts? I think he already said it's not the wisest choice of words that he used. I actually don't know the full detail of his statement, so I would rather choose not to fully comment, but for sure you have to be careful in the language that you use and you have to be very specific in whom you address. I did not feel addressed. I feel very welcome in the country and I'm happy to work in the country and that's basically it from my side. Well, that was Thomas Tuchel talking to our football correspondent, John Murray. And John, we heard Thomas Tuchel there just addressing those comments from Jim Ratcliffe.

7:18And there has been an update from the FA on this story this evening. Well, as Thomas Tuchel said, Mark Bullion was here. I spoke to him earlier on today. And the line from the FA is that they are looking into those comments. So they are examining, I suppose, whether Sir Jim Ratcliffe's comments have brought the game into disrepute. So there may be more to come on that. Let's go back to you, Michael Brown. Hello again. How are we? Well, we're fine, thank you. I mean, first of all, what do you make of this extension to Thomas Tuchel's contract at this point, you know, a few months before a World Cup?

7:56Firstly, we've got to consider John. Needless it sounds like you've got a big cold, John. You're struggling along there. I have. I think I might be a doubt for the FA Cup this weekend. Oh, no. I think I might need a major fitness test. You'll be fine, mate. Get on that flight back. But big news for you to talk about there, John. You know, you're wondering, everybody's been saying Manchester United all day long and then there's several other jobs of coming up and you've spent lots of time with him in the camps, etc., wondering whether it's going to be this short-term fix, whether he can go on and deliver as a win finally.

8:31But the FA must have been working hard because they're very much looking at the situation. Everybody talking about he's going to be at a club nearby because of the length of the contract. So I think it's a brilliant signing. I think it's something that really needed sorting out. And I think it's a real coup for the FA. They've moved quickly. I think they've done it at the right time, obviously fitting today with the draw. And then going into the summer, I think that stops so much speculation before it even happens and he can concentrate on what the job in hand is. And he's got a wonderful group of players.

9:02He seems to be enjoying it. I think he speaks really well, John. I don't know if you would agree. Do you know when he's taking all these press conferences, when he's leading the country's football team, and whether it be any topic, he takes it head on. And I think the players seem to like him. Yeah, I would say, as I said to him, when he was first announced as the England manager, it was made very clear to us that this was it. It was World Cup and then off, however it finished. But there was a change of tone in November. And I now know that once England got close to qualification, then the discussions began about whether he would be prepared to take this on.

9:42And that's led to where we are today. But I think as well, this is highly significant because you can just imagine, can't you, what would have happened over the coming months as Thomas Tuchel was with England. if his future wasn't certain, you know, every single job that comes up. And the accusation would be that, you know, he would not have his mind entirely on the job in hand. So this does put that to bed. And is there an element as well, Michael, that the players might not have their minds on the job in hand quite so much at the World Cup if they're thinking, right, OK, well, you know, however we do here, we don't know who's going to be in charge at the back end of this.

10:21I don't think so, because I feel it's different. It's like a situation with a club manager when you're signing for somebody, you know it's that long-term fix. And for these boys now, it's generally what's in front. And like Thomas Tuchel mentioned, let's not talk about anything in the future. We need to talk about the here and now, this World Cup. That'll be very much the focus, whether the manager's there or not. This is the pressure playing for this country. They have to deliver a win. You have to be selfish. You have to get in the team. you have to try and make sure you're right on form every single day in training and it won't be about a manager like in a club situation I think you know when you come and you get into the world cup and you start to get a feel for it the ones who maybe have sort of questioned them a little bit later on if they're not necessarily playing would think twice now so the harmony would be a little bit more balanced you would feel when you know he's going to be the boss for some time I don't think he's one of those people anyway that you would want to take on.

11:21I think he's made big decisions, left key players out when he feels it's necessary and sort of said, this is how we're going to run it. Everybody's got it in line, it doesn't matter who it is, or you'll be left out. So I just think it brings a really exciting prospect in the summer. I think, as I say, it's the right particular time. It was really travelling now, the news, whether he could almost do two jobs at once. and the FA again would have been left a little bit embarrassed. So full credit, they've really pushed for this one, whether it be persuasion for financial reasons, they're going to have to have certainly met those demands at some part of this.

11:59Full credit to them. Just on one of those big names, Jude Bellingham, Thomas Tuchel has said here tonight, because he's out with a hamstring injury at the moment, he said he is going to try to make those March friendlies at the end of March against Uruguay and Japan at Wembley. But Thomas Tuchel said it would be difficult. But interestingly as well, on the other Real Madrid England man, Trent Alexander-Arnold, the feeling was that he should be okay for selection, which I thought was an interesting little development there. But I think on Tuchel, there was definitely a change of tone in November.

12:34In his early months, he was always talking about not being there with the players all the time and how important it was to be on the grass. But I just think 52 years old, he's done what he's done in club management. He's got a proper taste now of what this England job is all about. And, you know, I think the conclusion is that you have to say that he likes the lifestyle of being the England manager and international football coach. I tell you what, John, we're going to let you go and gargle with the finest Belgian whisky you can find. I think probably Belgian honey would probably be the best thing to it.

13:09Belgian honey and Scottish whiskey. You'll find something to soften it, won't you, John?

13:27If there was a big red button that would just demolish the internet, I would smash that button with my forehead. From the BBC, this is The Interface, the show that explores how tech is rewiring your week and your world. This isn't about quarterly earnings or about tech reviews. It's about what technology is actually doing to your work, your politics, your everyday life, and all the bizarre ways people are using the internet. Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

14:01Hello, this is Matt Jolly's Urgent Questions, your daily dose of political mayhem from the heart of Westminster. Order, order. I call Matt Chorley. I'm a supporter of flags. It turns out time is finite. Government doesn't want to be involved in this. I do not think the candidates are front loops. Matt Chorley's Urgent Questions. Subscribe to the podcast and you'll get the best bits every day from around five o 'clock. Listen on BBC Sounds. You're listening to the Football Daily Podcast with Eleanor Oldroyd. Well, Nottingham Forest have sacked Sean Dyche after just 114 days in charge. In a statement posted on X, the club wrote, Nottingham Forest Football Club can confirm that Sean Dyche has been relieved of his duties as head coach.

14:47We would like to thank Sean and his staff for their efforts during their time at the club and we wish them the best of luck for the future. We will be making no further comment at this time. Well, BBC Sports Midlands football reporter Nick Mascheter is with us. Hello, Nick. Just tell us about how this all unfolded last night. Nobigan Forest decided to part ways at about half past midnight with Sean Dyce last night. Just a few hours after drawing with Wolves, I think they had 35 shots without scoring. They are the second lowest scorers in the division this season with 25 goals. Wolves have only got 16 themselves and obviously they're bothered with nine points.

15:27it's a really strange one that if you look at the trajectory and the results under Sean Dyche if the season started when Sean Dyche was appointed in Nottingham Forest at the end of October Nottingham Forest would be mid-table and after last night's results they would be seven points above the relegation zone so he was essentially fulfilling the brief to keep them out of danger to keep them up and if results continued as they were and don't forget that he was nominated for January's Manager of the Month as well just last week. There's nothing to say that he wouldn't have kept them up. But talking to somebody about it earlier this week, there's the facts and the results.

16:09But what they pointed out was what you actually see as well with your eyes and ultimately the performances and the style. That was what was getting to the fans and I'm led to believe that was getting to the players as well. They were canvassed opinions of the players over the last few days and ultimately they didn't give enough backing for Sean Dyche to keep his job. And it does sound, Nick, as if they've got a replacement lined up already with almost kind of a decent haste and it's somebody you know from covering Wolves. Yeah, absolutely. It seems Vito Pereira's impending appointment, I'm led to believe it's going to be on an 18-month deal.

16:44It makes sense. Vito Pereira has wanted to get back into the Premier League quickly after leaving Wolves in November. He obviously worked with Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Maranakis at Olympiacos. Obviously, the owner owns both clubs. He won the Greek League there in 2015 when they worked together. He's available because all these managerial changes cost money. And he managed to save all from relegation last season. So he's got the pedigree there. So we're expecting that to happen as of when I checked in with a few people this afternoon, a couple of hours ago. So it's not quite there yet, but we're expecting that to happen.

17:23If it's not this evening, then very, very soon. Let's get Michael Brown's thoughts on this. I mean, four managers. Talk about a carousel or a merry-go-round. I mean, this is like a thrill ride at Alton Towers, isn't it? Yeah, I mean, Nuno, Ansh Bostokoglu, Daishi now. And, you know, Nick, where Nick says it, it feels like it makes sense. It's the appointment. but you look and talk about Dice's stats, mid-table, I think you're in safe hands, I think obviously we've seen West Ham, Leeds United improve, getting results, which has obviously left that gap a bit tighter, but we can all talk about the style, the performances, but the creating, it isn't always the greatest to the eye, what Sean Dice necessarily produces, but he's gone in to put a fire out that was already there before him, and he had to find a formula to try and grind out results and over time you can try to change the personnel and the players.

18:20To be in that position and then to have a huge opinion is very concerning that the owners and the people above are taking that on board. Yes, Victor Pereira can come in and he's got a reaction at Wolves but then that left very, very quickly, didn't it? All change and look at Wolves and where the mess they're in. So you've got to be careful when you want to keep making these particular changes. but really I don't like it when I listen in to football clubs when they say the players are not necessarily buying into different situations. The amount of talent that they've got in that building, yes, they've been shone together at times because of a really scattergun approach from the owner and several people who are at the top of the chain there who have no choice to follow that but they have to really look and say, well, it's not just the style, it's not just where we are, we've certainly not performed and it's just a complete mess again.

19:10The supporters stand up and then the way they go about making these sackings straight after it, quick decisions. I think they need to have a look and build a much better controlled system if this is the way they're going to move forward. Let's bring in Forrest fan Sarah Brown. I'm trying to kind of come up with fairground analogies. It feels a bit like a waltzer, which makes you feel a bit sick at the end of it as well. I feel like that, really. All I want is, like, there's nothing to see here, but obviously we're forest and again we're making headlines which is uh which is a real shame the whole season's been should have been our best in 30 years and it's probably it's been so disappointing you know I've been away to Europe we've not had some we've not been great in Europe you know we've we've seen not great performances again um the Premier League's been disappointing him we've had a sprinkling um of you know of decent performances but uh but this but you know Dyche has brought in points you know everyone's saying we've been mid-table if you've been here since beginning completely agree I'm not about style you know Nuno didn't have a great style but we loved it because he was winning games and that's what football's about winning games and I think but what we could see was there was no pattern there was no we weren't getting the runs of wins.

20:33We went into each game. Yes, last night I went to the match and I was worried. I didn't think we would win that match. I thought a draw was probably the best and we shouldn't be feeling like that. I mean, that was probably Wolves' worst performance and I think some of the Wolves fans have actually said that. So I didn't want him to go, no. I don't want to have to make those decisions as a fan and I don't. Whether it's the right thing to do, I'll know at the end of May. Hopefully not before, unless we're safe. But yeah, no, it's not good. It's not good for anybody, the fans, the players, anybody, the whole club.

21:08If you look at the way Forrest have been playing, Michael, as Sarah's been saying, it should have been such a great season, such an exciting season for them. But what's gone wrong? What's been going wrong, do you think, for them? I mean, you know, Wednesday night, 35 shots without scoring. Apparently that was the most by a team without finding the net in almost a decade. It doesn't sound too boring, does it? No. About the way Sean Dice goes to attack games, try and get results. I think we have to look as well at how quickly Forrest come to the front. Joel got promoted late and then they spent a lot of money, found themselves in relegation situations.

21:46Yes, they were saved. And then that big turnaround, push towards the top. But then it catches you up. We've seen other teams do it. And the amount of players that have gone in, and I feel a lot of those players have earned a lot of money. that's the reason they've had to go and sign them and because there's been so many it creates an uncertainty not necessarily continuity some managers fit in the next ones don't then there's more player recruitment and they try to support obviously everyone that goes in but not necessarily what the manager wants it's sort of this is what you're having this is where we're going and Sean Dyche I feel he would have been the one to go and question them to put pressure back because he's not in a situation now where he's desperately in need to keep the job with Forrest they've got obviously him and Ian Wohan have got great connections, they love Nottingham Forest they would have liked nothing more to have been successful and to succeed and take them forward and over the next few weeks or so you'll start to drip feed and listen really what's going on when you get to listen to them but I mean yeah successful season, you're expecting lots from this side but quite quickly it's not just the managers let's be honest it can't be because they've been through that many of them so there's an uncertainty whether it's the owners, the involvement, team selection.

23:01I'm a little bit worried about the viewpoint of the fans really going after people quite quickly. I think that's slightly dangerous. And now they're in a real tricky, difficult situation with the West Ham side going very well. And now a manager change could just catch them. I don't know what Sarah thinks. I still feel when I was looking, you stay up with Sean Dyche. Now I'm like going, it could go either way. Yeah, I think that's a big possibility that we could have done and we probably would have done. I didn't want to see that last night. I don't boo. I support my team. I'm not a negative fan.

23:36I don't really agree with it. There was quite a lot of unhappy fans last night and in other games, sorry. So, yeah, no, it's not what I'm... I'm not in a good place with the club at the moment, no. Are you saying you'd like new ownership? No. I wouldn't say I'd want new ownership. You know, billionaires, multi-billionaires that are happy to lose lots of money do not grow on trees, do they? So let's be honest. How do you control it, though? How does he improve? I mean, I think this year he's took less. He hasn't been so, you know, in the media this year. He's been a lot behind the scenes, and I think he was hoping that Edu would take the reins more and makes more decisions, but it doesn't seem to have worked.

24:25A lot of the fans are actually blaming Edu. But we don't really know what's going on and who's... I mean, this is how he runs his businesses. You know, he makes decisions and he makes them fairly quick by the looks of it. So this is his decision. And, you know, unfortunately, as a fan, I've spent thousands of pounds this season and every season following them. but I'll still follow my team because that's what we do in football but yeah, this time I'm not happy but where we are now we spent so long in the Championship there's lots of fans that will say a new owner but I watched his years in the Championship I never even thought we'd make the Premier League and what a great season we had last year let's hope we can all pull together as a club and get through these next games and actually get some wins behind us and everybody start playing for the club.

25:24Yeah. I mean, Nick, it was interesting looking back, as we've said, the four managers in a season. There was a moment when I kind of had to go, I've forgotten they had Ange, you know, because he was there and he was gone so quickly. Do you think that Vita Pereira will hang around for a bit longer, that he's got that connection with the owner already from Olympiacos? Yeah, you'd hope so. Obviously, it only lasted 11 months at Wolves, and that turned fairly toxic towards the end quite quickly. Pereira did really well to generate a lot of unity, which is what Forrest need again right now. They seem to have gone from unity under Nuno to disharmony under Ranj to a little bit of unity under Sean Dyche again, and now we're back to kind of a little bit of disharmony.

26:11so I mean Vito Pereira did really well at Wolves you know calling the phrase first the points then the pints of course going drinking with the fans after after winning winning games so yeah he should really generate a good feeling and naturally he wants to be in the Premier League that's been his dream that's what he said when he came to Wolves he he made wrong decisions in terms of picking the right club or the wrong club ultimately to try to get to the Premier League faster so he will want to desperately stay there would he want to be in the championship would Forrest want to be in the championship no of course there wouldn't be but we'll have to see how that ends but what everybody was saying earlier is interesting in terms of Edu and the hierarchy for me I think you can look at things now and trace them back to the summer where there was a falling out with Nuno and Edu and Nuno didn't get what he wanted in the transfer market necessarily and ultimately he went public with his displeasure and essentially talked himself into the sack back in September.

27:14So if there was a more harmonious, interconnected way of thinking and personal relationships back in the summer, then maybe Nottingham Forest wouldn't be in this position. Sarah, just in a word, are you staying up? Yeah, we're going to try. We're going to try our best. Who knows? I haven't got a crystal ball, but I hope we're going to see a bounce with this manager and that's all I can hope for, but I'll be there. Thank you for listening to this edition of the Football Daily Podcast. Up next will be EuroLeagues with Steve Crossman.

28:01I'm Greg Tris. The Rugby New Weekly podcast will be daily throughout the tournament with all the best insight and analysis and the biggest names in the game. The Six Nations. Listen on BBC Sounds.

28:15If there was a big red button that would just demolish the internet, I would smash that button with my forehead. From the BBC, this is The Interface, the show that explores how tech is rewiring your week and your world. This isn't about quarterly earnings or about tech reviews. It's about what technology is actually doing to your work, your politics, your everyday life, and all the bizarre ways people are using the internet. Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.