Thomas Tuchel: The Origin Story of England's New Manager
It Was What It Was : The Football History Podcast
The Overlap
4.9 • 667 Ratings
🗓️ 12 November 2024
⏱️ 56 minutes
🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS
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Summary
In this week’s episode of It Was What It Was, Jonathan and Rob take a deep dive into the fascinating journey of Thomas Tuchel, the newly appointed England manager. From his early years as a player with a mature football mind, to a detour studying economics while working in a cocktail bar, Tuchel’s path to football’s elite has been anything but ordinary.
Jonathan and Rob discuss how a timely call from Ralph Rangnick set Tuchel on a coaching trajectory that would see him manage some of Europe’s biggest clubs— Mainz, Dortmund, PSG, Chelsea, and Bayern Munich. They reflect on the highlights of his career, including his confidence that led Chelsea to a thrilling Champions League victory over Manchester City in 2021.
Now, with Tuchel at the helm of the England national team, the duo explores what he brings to the international stage, how he might shape England’s future, and whether he can achieve the same success on the world stage that he did in club football.
Join us for a compelling look at one of football’s most innovative managers, and what his unique journey could mean for the future of English football.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | I was working as a waiter in a cocktail bar |
| 0:10.7 | When I met you |
| 0:13.1 | You picked me up, you shoot me up |
| 0:15.2 | You pull me apart |
| 0:16.8 | You turn me into something new |
| 0:19.7 | Welcome to It Was What It Was, the Football History podcast I'm Jonathan Wilson you turn me into something new. |
| 0:23.3 | Welcome to, it was what it was, the Football History Podcast. |
| 0:34.1 | I'm Jonathan Wilson, and that was the train chorister, Rob Draper, who, for reason I have to say it, not entirely clear to me, was singing the Human League's 981 hit, Don't You Want Me Baby? |
| 0:36.9 | Now, Rob, I was maybe under the mistaken impression. |
| 0:54.5 | We were here to talk about the making of Thomas Tickle. What on earth are you doing? It's always been my dream to do a podcast with you on the new romantics of 1980s, Jonathan, because I know how much you love your music. But that was Thomas Tuchel. That's really what Thomas Tuchel was singing in 1989, when he was literally. The timing of this is propitious, isn't it? |
| 0:56.6 | Because I think that was released on the 27th and November. |
| 0:58.6 | So we're just coming up to the 43rd anniversary of the release of that classic. |
| 1:03.6 | Oh, I did not know that. |
| 1:04.8 | That's great, great stats from Wilson there. |
| 1:07.3 | But no, Thomas Tuchel was literally working as a waiter in a cocktail bar in 1999 when Ralph Ragnick, |
| 1:16.7 | him of Manchester United and the Red Bull franchise plucked him from the cocktail bar. He was a down |
| 1:24.0 | and out sort of professional. His career was in tatters because he had a knee injury. |
| 1:28.8 | And Ralph plucks him out and sets him on a coaching career. |
| 1:32.6 | So, you know, it's when they come to do, when Thomas Tuchel and wins the World Cup, |
| 1:37.1 | they come to the musical of his life, that song is definitely going to feature. |
| 1:40.3 | So you may mock now, but I am already first in line for the audition, I think, |
| 1:45.6 | because I have that Germanic look about me in a similar gate, I feel. And, you know, |
... |
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