Harry Redknapp slams 'very quick' Thomas Tuchel England appointment and makes demand

The Football Association have acted swiftly to identify Gareth Southgate's successor with Thomas Tuchel set to be appointed as the new England manager on Wednesday

Harry Redknapp has expressed his disappointment at the Football Association's decision to appoint Thomas Tuchel as Gareth Southgate's successor. The German tactician is set to take over as England manager, with a press conference arranged for 1.30pm on Wednesday at Wembley.

The ex-Chelsea and PSG coach swiftly finalised terms following rapid negotiations on Tuesday. Now officially announced on Wednesday morning, Tuchel will join Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello as the only non-Englishmen to manage the Three Lions. Speaking to Sky Sports News, former Spurs and Portsmouth boss Redknapp, who himself was in contention for the position previously, remarked: "He's lost his job quite quickly at a couple of clubs."

He added: "It's not like he's been a massive success. He's come and gone at a couple of clubs. I'm very patriotic, I think we should have an English manager but obviously the field was very small to choose from."

In spite of Redknapp's reservations, Tuchel's experience at the top tier of football is evident having led Chelsea to the Champions League title in 2021 and having managed both Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich. This latest move comes amid earlier reports that Pep Guardiola of Manchester City was also approached by the FA, reports the Mirror.

From the get-go of their search in July, the FA clarified that nationality was no barrier; they were on the hunt for the ideal candidate. Currently, Lee Carsley, the Under-21 coach, has been serving as the interim head coach for England's Nations League contests this autumn.

Carsley was initially considered a contender for the position, but his unclear ambitions had sparked renewed speculation in recent days, particularly after England's loss to Greece last Thursday, leading the FA to explore alternative options. Thomas Tuchel, who has previously managed Mainz and Borussia Dortmund, became available after leaving Bayern Munich last summer.

His appointment would reunite him with England captain and Bayern striker Harry Kane. Earlier on Tuesday, Kane shared his thoughts on the possibility of Tuchel taking the job, telling Sky Sports News: "I haven't been told anything. Until it is announced I can't really comment but obviously I know Thomas well from last year. He is a fantastic coach, a fantastic person. I'm sure the guys at the FA will contact me when they know more about it."

Former England defender Stuart Pearce believes Tuchel will face high expectations, given Southgate's success in leading the team to two major finals.

Pearce, who earned 78 caps, told talkSPORT: "When Gareth left in the summer people were saying, 'We need to go the next step.'" "Where is the next step from getting to finals and being runner-up? The next step is winning trophies. That will be the expectation and I think he's got a really tough tournament in a year-and-a-half to attempt to win the World Cup in the (United) States, Mexico and Canada. That's a tough prospect."