Wayne Rooney has admitted he is “surprised” by the appointment of Thomas Tuchel as England’s new manager. The German manager was named as Gareth Southgate’s permanent successor on Wednesday, signing an 18-month contract that will take him until the end of the 2026 World Cup.
Rooney, current manager of Plymouth and with a glorious past as a footballer for the English national team with 120 appearances and 53 goals, thought that the Football Association (FA) would choose an English manager, especially after the success of Lee Carsley, who brought the Under 21 to win the European Championship in 2023.
“It’s a surprise. He’s a very good manager, but I’m surprised the FA chose him,” Rooney said during Thursday’s pre-match press conference. “Over the last 10-15 years, the FA has built a great platform for young English managers, so I expected them to choose one of their own. But, as I said, they have made this decision and I wish them all the best. I hope he does well for us.”