Michael Owen has criticised the FA for appointing Thomas Tuchel as England manager, stating that he believes that the head coach of the Three Lions should also be English. The former Liverpool star went on to name who he wants in the dugout.

Tuchel was brought in as Gareth Southgate’s successor in January, signing an 18-month contract which will see him take charge of England at the 2026 World Cup in North America. The German became just the third non-Englishman to take on the role, and has overseen six wins and one loss in his opening seven matches.

But it’s not been completely plain-sailing for the former Chelsea manager. Although performances have improved under his watch, England have been inconsistent, and suggestions emerged earlier this week that he was ‘not enjoying’ his current job.

Owen Wants Englishman in Charge

While it’s unlikely that Tuchel will leave his role before the expiry of his contract, that’s not stopped Owen from stating that the German should not have been appointed in the first place. In fact, the ex-England striker said that everyone within the national team setup, from the coaching staff all the way to the physios, should be English.

“The Premier League is obviously multinational,” he told Daily Star Sport, via BetSelect. “We’re watching the greatest players, the greatest managers, the greatest coaches. We’re being cared for by the greatest physios, doctors, and psychologists. The Premier League employs the greatest people from all over the world, and that’s fantastic. It makes us what we are.

“But I think [having a foreign coach] defeats the whole purpose of international football. It should be the best of what England has to offer against other nations. There’s no xenophobia about it at all. It’s just that’s what international football is. It’s our country against your country. And that should extend right through the squad, whether you’re a masseur or a bus driver, or whatever your role is; it’s England’s best, because these things matter.

When asked which homegrown manager he would like to see in charge of England instead of Tuchel, Owen namechecked former Three Lions teammate Frank Lampard as a potential option. The Chelsea icon has enjoyed an excellent stint at Championship side Coventry City, taking over in 2024/25 when they were facing a potential relegation battle and guiding them into the play-offs.

Now, the Sky Blues are top of the division and unbeaten in nine games, and Owen believes that Lampard could be a potential option for the national team in the future. He said: “People would ask, but who then? I’d say, what about Frank Lampard? And they’d be like, No, no, no. Tuchel is way more qualified.

“I’ve got nothing against Thomas Tuchel,” Owen added. “He’s a great manager. He could do great things. But if we win the World Cup and a German manager is lifting the World Cup, I mean, really?

“What would happen if Gareth Southgate were to manage Brazil and lift the World Cup? I’d be looking at it, thinking it’s just not right. Whether it’s a foreigner managing England or an Englishman managing a foreign national team. In my eyes, it’s just not right.”