‘The fans are angry. Players are understandably angry. The media is full of opposition’

Henry Winter’s World Cup Diary, Day 32

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“What is your coach doing?” I had just gotten into my Uber at Newark airport, told I was here to play football, when the driver pulled up. Ray was from Algeria, a fan of Real Madrid, a big viewer of the Premier League, with detailed knowledge of many English players and was amazed by the tactics and changes of Thomas Tuchel. “You have to be aggressive.” Ray meant courage and assertiveness, rather than physical confrontation. Ray also echoed the sentiments of many onlookers who were frustrated and angry as Tuchel chose to fear rather than fight.

The situation is very critical and raw right now. The fans are furious. Those players were not impressed with Tuchel’s tactics, and throwing away the chance to reach the final, they were understandably angry. The media is full of contradictions. The FA will hold a review, no doubt given assurances from Tuchel that a future at the Nations and Euro 2028 will be in full swing, but there is really no one at the FA to call him. If Tuchel is to survive it is because the FA board would look foolish for backing him with a new contract before the finals. There is also a point that people seem to be missing: who else?

Pep Guardiola has been made the favorite but would really like a role that offers not a guarantee of success but a guarantee of misery. The FA won’t be able to match even half of his old Manchester City salary of £20m. Guardiola says he wants a break anyway and returns to Barcelona.

Who are the others? Eddie Howe has been on target in the past. He may decide that now is the time to leave Newcastle United due to financial problems and uncertainty about the commitment levels of the owners. Howe is a good manager, not an A-lister. He will be the obvious choice for home.

Former England star Frank Lampard will definitely be linked with this role. But would he want to leave Coventry City so soon, especially now that he has promoted them? Lampard enjoys the day-to-day duties associated with the club’s management and spending time on the pitch with the players.

Lee Carsley, who had a difficult time as a caretaker (five good results, one car crash), has a good record with the Under-21s, winning back-to-back Euros, and knows a lot of players. If the FA looks at how Spain and Argentina select and develop their coaches, Luis de la Fuente and Lionel Scaloni respectively, it doesn’t work for top club jobs. Carsley follows their trail. But would Carsley, a private man, demand the serious scrutiny that comes with the role?

Mauricio Pochettino will have his supporters if he leaves the USMNT. But mostly just a few words. The FA works through the identity of the coach, and develops talented managers once they are identified, so that there is a deep talent pool of home-grown management skills for the future. But not yet, which puts Tuchel on firmer ground.

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There is something dangerous in the World Cup known as the FIFA Fifteen. Don’t worry, they don’t take rugby union. It’s a big problem, namely the number of pounds journalists can carry with their lives on the road between training grounds, airports, media centers, stadiums, grabbing a snack here and there. I’m about 10% cheesecake right now. At least it fills the hole left by England.

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An “Amber Alert” went off on my phone while I was waiting for my flight from Atlanta to Pittsburgh and connecting in New York. Someone else’s name flashed on my screen along with the license plate and car number. The phone was vibrating and some people near their phones were making noise. At first I thought it was a problem with the passenger car parked at the airport, which looked pretty good unless it was on fire. “A lost child,” explained the woman on the line. When a child is kidnapped this Amber Alert goes out to everyone in the country. My first, second and third reaction was that it was shocking to think about this poor child and parents, effectively in real time, and what they had to deal with. It seems even more personal when it comes directly to your phone. My fourth reaction was that this is a good plan. Every second counts.

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Another nice touch at American airports, along with the ubiquitous WiFi and many cheesecake shops, are the libraries located at some of the departure gates. “Take a book, leave a book, enjoy a book while you wait” read that as I connected in Pittsburgh on my way from Atlanta to Newark. Of the 18 flights I took during the World Cup, I experienced a 20-minute delay. There is not much time to study.

Check out Henry Winter’s entire World Cup Diary here