Football Association chief executive Mark Bullingham insists the English coaching system is a success, but accepted the country is “not in that place” to have a handful of homegrown contenders for the national team job.
Thomas Tuchel will become England’s third overseas head coach for the men’s team when he starts work on January 1, raising questions over the strength and depth of top-level English coaches.
FA boss Bullingham said there were English candidates among the “approximately 10” people interviewed for the job, but former England defender Gary Neville claimed the decision to go for a foreign coach was a “big blow” to domestic managers.
The job profile published by the FA on July 19 – three days after Gareth Southgate’s exit – said the governing body was looking for someone with “a strong track record delivering results in the Premier League and/or leading international competitions”.