MAGIC TUCH

World-class coach and trophy-winner Thomas taking Three Lions job is a major success for the FA

- JOHN CROSS

THOMAS TUCHEL represents a huge coup for the FA.

The former Chelsea boss fits the bill of being a "world-class coach that has won trophies".

That was the job description laid out by interim boss Lee Carsley on Sunday and Tuchel will bring wide experience, a successful CV and huge energy to the job.

Tuchel, 51, will be announced as the next permanent England boss after agreeing a deal with the FA.

Technical director John McDermott was charged with bringing in a replacement for Gareth Southgate and it is hard to think of many better qualified candidates.

They did sound out Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola in July after Southgate quit, but the Catalan never got beyond a conversation. Clearly, the FA's preferred option would always be an English manager and a coach who came through the St George's Park system.

But from day one, FA chief executive Mark Bullingham held up Sarina Wiegman as an example of a Dutch coach who led the Lionesses to Euros glory at Wembley and the reason why they would go for the best candidate for the job.