“That doesn’t belong”
Matthew criticizes Tuchel sharply
24.03.2025 – 6:19 p.m.Reading time: 2 min.
Shortly before his debut as an English national coach, Thomas Tuchel had surprisingly criticized his predecessor. An absurdity, says record national player Lothar Matthäus.
With his public criticism of his predecessor Gareth Southgate, Thomas Tuchel not only triggered turmoil in England – his behavior also results in discussions in Germany. World champion Lothar Matthäus in particular found clear words for the new national coach of the English.
After Germany’s National League game against Italy, Matthew clearly commented on RTL: “That doesn’t belong. A trainer usually gets the red card.” The 64-year-old also advised Tuchel to deal less with the work of his predecessor and instead concentrate on his own tasks. Matthäus asked: “He should also look for the mistakes with himself and show himself so that he stands over things. He should show that his path is better than that of his predecessor.”
Matthew also criticized that Tuchel repeatedly pens: “But this is a typical Thomas Tuchel: he also opened barrels in Munich that were actually too. He always had to say or do something.” Tuchel took over the coaching position at Bayern from Julian Nagelsmann in March 2023, but had to leave the club again in the summer of 2024.
Matthäus remembered this time and explained: “This was the most criticized in Munich: that he always brought a certain dissatisfaction with him – with the squad, with himself, with the style of play, with the fans, with the journalists.”
The background to criticism is Tuchel’s public assessment of the term of office of his predecessor Southgate. The former coach of FC Bayern and Borussia Dortmund had accused Southgate that England’s national team was “the identity, the clarity, the rhythm, the repetition of patterns and the freedom of players, their self -expression, their hunger”.
Matthew admitted that the “Three Lions” under Southgate “did not play the most attractive football and had not won a title”. “But he was with England twice in the final at the European Championship and Tuchel has to do that first.” After all: Tuchel’s debut as a national coach on Friday against Albania was successful-England won 2-0 in the World Cup qualification. This Monday (8:45 p.m.) is the next game against Latvia.