FA make decision on Thomas Tuchel future immediately after England defeat to Argentina

The FA have no plans to sack Thomas Tuchel despite England’s World Cup defeat at the hands of Argentina, talkSPORT understands.

Tuchel’s initial contract ran until the end of the tournament, but he penned a two-year extension through to Euro 2028 in February.

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However, there is a performance clause in Tuchel’s deal, which would give the FA the option to axe the German.

Yet that, at present, will not be exercised.

60 years of hurt to continue

Tuchel was on course to lead England to their first World Cup final in 60 years, only for the team to concede twice in the dying stages of the contest.

Anthony Gordon put the Three Lions ahead in the 55th minute when he tapped home Morgan Rogers’ cross from the right.

But as time ticked on, England fell deeper into their own half as Argentina calmly worked the ball around and continually probed the English backline.

The defending champions’ persistent efforts were rewarded in the 85th minute when Enzo Fernandez scored a sensational curled effort from outside the box.

Argentina would then twist the knife further into English hearts just seven minutes later when Lautaro Martinez headed home at the back post from Lionel Messi‘s cross.

Although Marcus Rashford and Ivan Toney were thrown on right at the death in the hopes of providing one final spark, it ultimately proved to be a futile effort.

Much had been made of Tuchel’s substitutions after Gordon put England in front as the goalscorer came off in the 72nd minute for Ezri Konsa, a defender.

Tuchel again looked to shut up shop in the 82nd minute as Declan Rice and Reece James both made way for Nico O’Reilly and Dan Burn.

The substitutions changed England’s tactical structure to a back five, which offers defensive solidity but reduces attacking impetus.

Tuchel: I don’t regret going to back five when I did

Speaking exclusively to talkSPORT after the game, Tuchel had no regrets about shifting to a back five, instead claiming it was necessary to deal with the constant crosses coming their way from Argentina.

“No, I don’t regret it,” Tuchel said.

“It doesn’t help if you regret anything. You take the decision in the moment. Anyway, the focus on any structure is, in hindsight, itself makes no sense.

“But the structure itself is just a structure. The important thing is that you put it to life and that you stay aggressive. You can defend crosses in a 4-4-2. We didn’t.

“That’s why I tried to help with a back five. But it was also, again, difficult. So we tried in a 5-4-1 to have at least two players. So that was even more deep.”

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Despite Tuchel’s explanation for the defensive shift, fans and pundits were quick to condemn the approach.

Gabby Agbonlahor’s scathing Tuchel verdict

Three-time England international Gabby Agbonlahor was especially critical on talkSPORT’s Sports Breakfast, branding Tuchel a ‘coward’.

“We brought Thomas Tuchel in, paid him £8 million a year, got rid of Gareth Southgate to get over the line in these big moments, these big decisions, positivity,” Agbonlahor said.

“Gareth Southgate did fantastic, but he didn’t have what it took to get us to the final of the World Cup or win a World Cup.

“For Thomas Tuchel to go one goal ahead and straight away take off our only quick player on the pitch, Anthony Gordon, who can get us up the pitch, go to five at the back and not see that if you go into five at the back, you need a get-out ball, which we didn’t have.

“Rogers, Bellingham, Kane on their feet, shattered. How can you go to five at the back, but don’t win a header?

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“How can you allow Enzo Fernandez on his own, but all our players are stood in our own box trying to defend, as if we’ve got Peter Crouch and Jan Koller?

“Then the second goal, 2v1 against Messi, O’Reilly and Spence. It was too easy, gets the cross in. Dan Burn has been brought on to be the lion of a defender, like he did against Mexico. He stood on the near-post space, marking nobody.

“Lautaro Martinez is in between Stones and Konsa, and nobody’s marking him. We didn’t deal with any crosses in the second half, but don’t want to blame the players. Our manager is a coward, simple as that.”

Agbonlahor added: “Tuchel has to go. When we are paying £8 million for a foreign coach to come in and win our first trophies since 1966, and that’s what he does in a semi-final for an Argentinian side that were there for the taking, and to do what he did, 10 times worse than anything Southgate’s ever done negatively.

“I’m sorry, he has to go. Simple as that. The FA have to make a decision, and I just didn’t like his interview, the arrogance of his interview, no regrets. Yes, you have got regrets.”