Ex-England star claims there's 'no way' Tuchel can stay on in X-rated rant

Thomas Tuchel England

Nicky Butt has launched a scathing, X-rated attack on Thomas Tuchel following England’s devastating World Cup semi-final exit at the hands of Argentina. The former Manchester United and England midfielder believes the German coach’s position is now untenable after a series of controversial tactical decisions cost the Three Lions a place in the final, and has already identified two potential replacements.

Butt demands Tuchel's immediate departure

England’s dreams of World Cup glory ended in familiar heartbreak as they surrendered a 1-0 lead against Argentina to crash out in the semi-finals. Despite Anthony Gordon giving the Three Lions the lead, Argentina successfully continued their tournament trend of deciding matches in the dying moments, scoring twice through Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez to deny England a place in the World Cup final for the first time since their sole triumph in 1966.

Speaking to Paddy Power, Butt did not hold back in his assessment of the manager's future. "There’s no way he can stay on. Not a f***ing cat in hell’s chance after that," Butt said. "If he stays on, John McDermott needs to be sacked as well. There’s no way you can keep him now. He’s not a Sir Bobby Robson or Kevin Keegan, someone that the nation loves."

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Concerns over negative tactics and identity

The criticism stems from what Butt perceives as a lack of bravery on the world stage, especially given the talent available in the England squad. The former midfielder argued that the former Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss failed to capture the imagination of the public and played right into the hands of the opposition during the high-stakes clash. Specifically, Tuchel’s decision to adopt a defensive approach by introducing Ezri Konsa, Nico O’Reilly, and Dan Burn backfired spectacularly.

"You’re talking about a manager that’s come in and played negative football, crazy negative football, in the semi-final against a beatable Argentina team," Butt continued. "And it shouldn’t really matter, but people will go against him because he’s German as well, so he’s going to have a nightmare. He’s an unbelievable club manager, so just let him go. He won’t want to stay. He might say he does, but deep down he’ll be thinking, ‘pay up, I’m out of here’."

Potential replacements named for Three Lions role

With the dust settling on another failed campaign, the conversation has shifted to who should lead the national team forward. Butt has identified Eddie Howe and Pep Guardiola as the prime candidates, though he admitted the timing for the latter might be problematic. Guardiola recently ended a historic 10-year tenure at Manchester City, where he won six Premier League titles and their first-ever Champions League trophy. Meanwhile, Howe has transformed Newcastle into a top-tier force since 2021, guiding them to two Champions League campaigns and a League Cup triumph.

"If we were nine months down the line, I’d definitely be going for Pep Guardiola," Butt explained. "But Pep can’t leave Man City a month ago, saying he needs a rest from football, and then go straight back in. He can’t do that. Eddie Howe would be brilliant. I’d love him to go in, it’d be great."

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The Pochettino connection and England's dynamic

While Howe and Guardiola are popular choices, Butt also highlighted Mauricio Pochettino as a genuine contender - with the Argentine having recently guided the USMNT to the round of 16 in this summer's World Cup before suffering a 4-1 defeat against Belgium - due to his existing relationship with FA technical director McDermott. The pair worked closely together during their time at Tottenham, a rapport that Butt witnessed during his own time working within the Manchester United academy system.

"Mauricio Pochettino‘s got an unbelievable relationship with John McDermott and he picks it [the Manager]. When McDermott was the academy manager at Tottenham, Pochettino was the manager, and they had a really, really good relationship," Butt said. "I wouldn’t be surprised if that happened and I wouldn’t be against it at all. He’s a very, very good manager. A likeable person, plays good football everywhere he goes. But we all said the same about Tuchel, yet when they go into that England dynamic, they just change, it’s crazy. I can’t put my finger on why."