Germany coach Thomas Tuchel has said he feels at home in England, even though he is not yet ready to sing the national anthem.
Tuchel, who is preparing to lead England to their first World Cup, said he believes he has not yet earned the right to sing the anthem “God Save the King” but made it clear he wants to win the support of the nation and lead the team to glory this summer.
Germany has forged a strong bond with the country that welcomed him, and this ahead of the crucial opening match of the group against Croatia. Asked if he would sing the anthem, he replied in the negative, explaining why.
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“Not yet, I don’t think we’re there yet. Maybe not at all, I’m still a little shy. I don’t want to offend anyone or I don’t want the attention to shift to that right now,” Tuchel initially said.
“But basically, I feel at home when I sit down, when I fly home. Now I would say ‘fly home’ when I go back to my home in London. I feel at home when I sit down in London and when I’m in England.”
He stressed that it was an honour for him to lead England.
“Yes, that’s how I feel. I can’t explain it, but that’s how it was from the first few weeks at Chelsea. It was just a wonderful feeling to be in the countryside, of course in the city, and to be part of the Premier League.”
“Almost every day was like a gift, I felt like I was in the right place with the right mentality as a player. What the league brings out of the players and what the fans expect from them and from the coach… all of that made me feel very comfortable.”
“I loved it from day one, it was very easy for me to adapt. That’s why I can’t repeat it often enough, I’m grateful and it’s an honour to be the England manager. Nobody wants it more than me,” the German coach concluded.
