"Fantastic coach, fantastic person" - Harry Kane gives his take on Thomas Tuchel becoming next England manager
Harry Kane has appeared to back England's potential appointment of his former Bayern Munich manager, Thomas Tuchel. The German coach has reportedly moved into pole position to become Gareth Southgate's permanent successor.
Sky Sport Germany's Florian Plettenberg reports that Tuchel and the English FA are in advanced negotiations. He's available after leaving Bayern at the end of last season and can take the job as a free agent.
Kane, 31, played under Tuchel at the Allianz Arena and he's spoken glowingly of the former Chelsea boss' coaching abilities and personality. The England captain said (via the source above):
"Until it's announced obviously I can't really comment, but we have to wait and see. Obviously, I know Thomas well from last year. Fantastic coach, fantastic person, so I am sure the guys at the FA will contact me, when they know more about it."
Thomas Tuchel took charge of Bayern for a year and a half but encountered a topsy-turvy spell with the Bundesliga giants. He guided the Bavarians to the Bundesliga title in the 2022/23 campaign, but his side surrendered their league crown to Bayer Leverkusen last season.
The German previously worked in England at Stamford Bridge and was a hit in west London. He led Chelsea to UEFA Champions League glory in 2021, overseeing 63 wins in 100 games. He was dismissed after disagreements with the club's vision with their new owners.
The FA's negotiations with Tuchel put Manchester United at risk of missing out on the former PSG coach. He's been linked with replacing Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford but the Dutchman looks likely to remain in charge.
How did England captain Harry Kane fare under Thomas Tuchel at Bayern Munich?
Kane came in for criticism after England's 3-1 win over Finland in the UEFA Nations League on Sunday (October 14). The Three Lions' all-time top scorer failed to make an impact after returning from injury.
Thomas Tuchel managed to get Kane firing at Bayern with remarkable results. The former Tottenham Hotspur frontman was in stellar form under the German after joining the Bavarians in the summer of 2023. He posted 44 goals and 12 assists in 45 games across competitions.
Kane won the European Golden Boot for his goalscoring exploits. His former manager struck up a good rapport with last season's Bundesliga top scorer and spoke highly of his professionalism (via talkSPORT):
"The guy is super humble, he's the first out there on the pitch every single day, anything you ask of him, he will do it, he's a huge personality who is so humble but becomes a shark on the field, because he wants to score, he wants to win."
Since debuting in March 2015, Kane has failed to win a major trophy on international duty. He's captained his nation to the final of the last two consecutive European Championships but has lost to Italy and Spain.