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• Tuchel's career in numbers after Three Lions appointment

  Exactly three months after Gareth Southgate announced he would step down as England's head coach, Thomas Tuchel has been named as his permanent successor.

  Tuchel has signed an 18-month contract to take charge of the Three Lions, which will begin on January 1, with interim boss Lee Carsley remaining at the helm until the conclusion of their Nations League campaign.

  The experienced German coach certainly ticks the FA's box in terms of appointing "a proven winner", having won league titles in two different countries as well as the Champions League and Club World Cup.

  Here, we look at the key numbers in the career of the former Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Bayern Munich coach.

  Third time lucky?

  Having been out of work since leaving Bayern at the end of last season, Tuchel becomes the 16th permanent manager to take charge of England.

  The first German to take over the Three Lions' reins, he is only the third non-English coach to do so, following in the footsteps of the late Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello.

  The 51-year-old arrives in the job with a 57.3% win ratio across his career, winning 331 of his 578 matches.

  Unlike Eriksson and Capello, who were unable to add international silverware to their glittering CVs, Tuchel also takes up the role with previous experience of coaching in England following his 19-month spell with Chelsea.

  With England having reached two successive European Championship finals under Southgate, he will hope to provide them with that missing ingredient to get them over the line.
  

  Thomas Tuchel. Our #ThreeLions head coach from 2025.

  — England (@England) October 16, 2024

  Previous English experience

  Tuchel's time in England with Chelsea was relatively brief, lasting 589 days and 100 games, but it ultimately proved to be successful.

  A runner-up with PSG the previous year, he became the first coach to reach successive European finals with two different clubs when he guided the Blues to glory in 2021.

  Tuchel also added the Club World Cup later that year, and went on to be the first manager in the club's history to reach the final in each of the Champions League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

  No Chelsea manager has reached more major domestic or European finals than the 51-year-old (four), whose 60% win rate is the fourth-highest of any Blues boss to take charge of at least 100 matches.
  
  Although, statistically, the west London side slightly tailed off defensively towards the end of his tenure. After registering 31 clean sheets in his first 50 matches in charge, they kept just 18 in his second 50 at the helm.

  Bittersweet Bayern tenure

  Under Tuchel, Bayern saw their 11-year grip on the Bundesliga title slip at the hands of Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen last season.

  Nevertheless, he still managed to make a positive impact at the Allianz Arena after replacing Julian Nagelsmann in March 2023.

  As Bayern dramatically snatched the 2022-23 title from under the noses of his former side Borussia Dortmund, he became only the second coach in Bundesliga history to take over a team in the second half of a season and win the league.

  The only previous case came in 1993-94, also with Bayern, when Franz Beckenbauer took over from Erich Ribbeck.

  Last season, he also became the first German coach to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League with three different clubs, as Bayern were denied a place in the final by eventual winners Real Madrid.

  Tuchel's impressive Champions League pedigree is further highlighted by the fact he has the third-highest win percentage in the tournament's history (59.7%), behind only Pep Guardiola (63.6%) and Louis van Gaal (60%).

  His appointment will see him link up once more with Three Lions skipper Harry Kane, who scored 44 goals in 45 games during his tenure at the Allianz Arena.

• St. Kitts and Nevis top Group C, earn promotion in Concacaf Nations League

  St. Kitts and Nevis have secured their place at the top of Group C in the 2024/25 Concacaf Nations League, following a 1-1 draw against the Cayman Islands on Tuesday night at Warner Park in Basseterre. This result allowed the Sugar Boyz to finish their campaign unbeaten and claim promotion to League B.

  The match saw both teams fighting hard for their positions, with Zachary Scott of the Cayman Islands opening the scoring in the 61st minute. Scott found the net with a powerful left-footed shot, assisted by Wesley Robinson, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead. However, St. Kitts and Nevis responded dramatically in the dying moments of the match when an own goal by Cayman Islands defender Joshwa Campbell in the 99th minute leveled the score, allowing the home side to remain undefeated in the group.

  With the draw, St. Kitts and Nevis finished the group stage with three wins and one draw (3-1-0), cementing their first-place finish and promotion to League B.

  The Cayman Islands also earned a reward for their impressive campaign, despite the draw. With a 2-1-1 record, the Cayman Islands finished as the best second-placed team across all groups in League C, securing their promotion to League B and a spot in the Concacaf Nations League Play-In.

  In Group A, Barbados completed a flawless campaign with a resounding 6-2 victory over the Bahamas at the Wildey Astro Turf Stadium in Bridgetown. Despite an early scare when Brandon Adderley put the Bahamas in front in the 6th minute, Barbados quickly responded through Andre Applewhaite, who equalized just two minutes later.

  The Bajans took control of the match soon after, with Niall Reid-Stephen converting a penalty in the 14th minute to give Barbados the lead. Further goals from Sheran Hoyte (26'), Omani Leacock (47'), and Applewhaite again in the 52nd minute secured a commanding lead. Hoyte added his second of the night in the 64th minute to cap off the scoring for Barbados, ensuring they finished top of Group A with a perfect 4-0-0 record and promotion to League B.

  The Bahamas managed a second goal through an own goal by Nicoli Brathwaite just before halftime, but it was not enough to prevent a comprehensive defeat. The Bahamas finished the group stage with a 1-1-2 record, falling short of the CNL Play-In.

  Belize also wrapped up a successful group stage campaign in Group B, defeating Turks and Caicos Islands 3-0 at FFB Stadium in Belmopan. Jordy Polanco headed in a corner in the 28th minute to open the scoring, followed by a volley from Moisés Hernández in the 40th minute to double Belize’s lead.

  Krisean López completed the scoring in the 57th minute, pouncing on a loose ball inside the box to secure Belize’s fourth consecutive win, sealing first place in Group B and earning promotion to League B. Belize’s defense was impenetrable throughout the group stage, with goalkeeper Charles Tillett recording four clean sheets as his side went undefeated without conceding a goal.

  The Turks and Caicos Islands finished third in Group B, narrowly missing out on second place due to goal difference, while Anguilla claimed the runner-up spot in the group.

  With these results, St. Kitts and Nevis, Barbados, and Belize join the list of teams promoted to League B for the next edition of the Concacaf Nations League, highlighting the region's competitive and exciting football scene.

   

   

   

   

   

• Guardiola will leave Man City if club lied over alleged breaches, says football finance expert

  Pep Guardiola will leave Manchester City if the club lied to him over their alleged breaches of the Premier League's financial rules, says football finance expert Kieran Maguire.

  City's legal battle with the Premier League is anticipated to last approximately another two months, with the verdict made public next year, after an independent hearing started in September.

  The English champions have been charged with 115 alleged breaches of competition rules over an extended period of time, including breaking financial rules, and failing to comply or provide accurate information to the investigation.

  Points deductions and fines are on the cards as possible penalties if City are found guilty, though Maguire believes the most significant impact could be breaking trust with manager Guardiola.

  "Txiki Begiristain [City's director of football] is leaving, that's more likely to have an impact than anything else, because I think Pep's the type of guy for whom relationships are a very important thing," Maguire told Stats Perform.

  "He has also said that every time he's spoken to the club in relation to these charges, they've said they're completely innocent.

  "If they've been proven to have lied to him, he'll be off, because I think on a principal point of view, where's the incentive to stay?"

  Any theoretical penalty would depend on the severity of City's breaches, but Nottingham Forest and Everton were both punished with points deductions last season for financial misdemeanours.

  Guardiola has continually spoken out in defence of his club, insisting innocence until proven guilty, though Maguire believes the former Barcelona boss may have already decided on his future regardless.

  "I suspect in his own mind, he's probably 99% certain as to what he's going to do next summer," Maguire said of Guardiola, who had been linked to the England job before Thomas Tuchel was appointed on Wednesday.

  "He's a very intense individual. His commitment to Manchester City is 24/7 and, as we saw with Jurgen Klopp, that has an impact on the rest of his life. He's got a family, he's got his own health to consider, and much broader issues."

  Relegation has also been mooted as the most severe punishment if proven guilty, although Maguire questioned whether this would inspire Guardiola to silence his doubters.

  "If Manchester City lose the case and they're subject to a 100-point deduction, part of him would fancy Swansea on a Tuesday night, just to prove [a point]," he added.

  "One of the criticisms of Pep Guardiola, which I think is completely lacking in validity, is that he's only managed to be successful because he's had clubs with big budgets in big divisions.

  "Look at the number of Manchester United managers over the course of the last decade who have had big budgets in a big division, who have not been successful.

  "If you take a look at Chelsea's managers, they've spent 1.3 to 1.4 billion pounds on players in the last two years, they've not won anything.  So, I think you have to be careful."