Gary Neville fears the appointment of German Thomas Tuchel as England manager could have a detrimental impact on the country’s training.

The Football Association confirmed the former Chelsea boss as Gareth Southgate’s successor on Wednesday.

Former England defender Neville accepts Tuchel, who led the Blues to Champions League glory in 2021 and also managed Bayern Munich and Paris St Germain, is one of the best coaches in world football.

However, he worries about the message his arrival will send to national managers who want to reach the top.

Neville told Sky Sports News: “He’s a great manager, he’s proven. He’s a winner and he knows he can work with big players and manage big personalities. He ticks all the boxes .”

“I would love Thomas Tuchel to be a manager in the Premier League. We need the best coaches, we thrive on that. You can’t deny what Thomas Tuchel is.”

“All I’m saying is that English coaches are in a worse situation today than yesterday.”

“I think everyone will wish him the best and hope he can get over the line and win a trophy, but I think there are serious questions the FA will have to answer when it comes to coaching English I think we’re hurting ourselves.”

“With Graham Potter and Eddie Howe, I think there are some exceptional candidates who could have been nominated who are English.”

Alan Shearer believes the FA moved quickly to bring in Tuchel because of the possibility of him becoming Manchester United manager.

Tuchel had been unemployed since leaving Bayern at the end of last season and was heavily linked with United should the club be without the services of Erik ten Hag.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola was also a name in the frame and former England striker Shearer told The Rest is Football podcast: “If they sounded out Pep, fine, he’s the best manager in the world.”

“You then have to look at what’s available to you. They looked at Thomas Tuchel and thought there was a chance he could get the Manchester United job very soon.”

“So the opportunity presents itself now. If they didn’t act quickly, they wouldn’t have found one of the best candidates for the job.”

Tuchel’s nationality will not sit well with some fans and another former England striker, Gary Lineker, admits he has mixed feelings on the issue.

Lineker said: “I don’t think it’s imperative (to have an English coach). I’m not going to sleep about it, but my personal preference would be for England to have an English coach.”

“For whatever reason, English football has not produced a plethora of brilliant managers. Why, I don’t know.”

“I respect Thomas Tuchel as a coach. I think he is really intelligent. Nobody will care one iota (about his nationality) if England somehow manages to win the World Cup.”

“He would have done that because he would have looked at this team and said, ‘My God, there’s so much talent there.’

“It’s an incredible opportunity to win the greatest trophy of all and I would love for him to do it.”

English football managers since 1963 (PA Graphics)

Another former England striker, Michael Owen, welcomed Tuchel’s appointment enthusiastically, writing on X: “Top appointment with new @England manager.”

“A proven winner with a great understanding of the English game. My only disappointment is that he is not English.”

Meanwhile, FA boss Prince William welcomed Tuchel to the post.

The Prince of Wales wrote on