Harry Kane has admitted he was “suprised” when he heard that Thomas Tuchel had been appointed as Gareth Southgate’s permanent successor as England manager in October, adding he “didn’t expect it” as he did not think of the former Bayern Munich and Chelsea boss as a national team coach.
Tuchel is England’s third foreign manager and the job marks his first at international level. He has signed an 18-month contract that will see him lead the country until the other side of the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The German coach was available after leaving Bayern at the end of last season after the Bundesliga giants were beaten to the title by Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen. The 2023-24 season was Harry Kane’s first in Bavaria after he joined Bayern from Tottenham Hotspur on the eve of the campaign.
Asked about his reaction to hearing the news that he would be reunited with Tuchel at England, Kane replied: “I was surprised if I’m honest. Yeah, didn’t expect it. I guess I just wasn’t really thinking of him as a national team coach.
“But yeah, once it was announced, I was really excited because obviously I had the pleasure of working with him last year and I know what he can bring. I knew what he could bring to this type of squad that we have.
“And obviously we’ve only been together a few days, but it hasn’t disappointed. He’s bringing us up to what I thought he would. And I think camp after camp, as he settles in, as we get to know him more, I think we’ll improve as we go. But ultimately is about building up until next year and these are important camps to do that.”
Southgate largely relied on a core group of trusted players during his years in charge, with lieutenants such as Kyle Walker, Jordan Henderson and Harry Maguire supporting Kane in senior roles within the team, but the England captain said a new leadership group has not yet been formed under Tuchel.
We’ve had brief conversations with it,” Kane said. “It hasn’t officially been formed yet a leadership group, but obviously you have myself and you have Hendo, you have Kyle. Obviously Dan’s [Dan Burn] coming into his first camp, but I think Dan’s seen as a leader in his role.
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