Tuchel delivers tactical masterclass to grassroots under-11 side at St. George's Park

Thomas Tuchel sat down with a group of under-11 footballers and their grassroots coach at St. George’s Park this week, delivering a tactical masterclass as part of a full-day visit to England’s national football centre ahead of this summer’s World Cup.

Amir Shaed, a grassroots coach and beneficiary of the Chase football coaching programme, brought his boys’ team to the Staffordshire facility where they joined an on-pitch training session led by FA coaches and received a presentation from England’s Head of Physical Performance and Nutrition, Steve Kemp. The day culminated in Tuchel himself taking the group through the tactical detail and preparation mindset that underpins England’s approach to major tournaments.

“Visiting St. George’s Park and meeting Thomas Tuchel and the team was a once in a lifetime experience,” said Shaed. “Getting a behind the scenes look at how England prepare for the biggest games — and learning directly from the very best — has been incredible. I’m leaving with fresh inspiration, real confidence, and determination to keep pushing on in my coaching journey.”

Tuchel said the visit was a reminder of what drew him to coaching in the first place. “I fell back in love with football when I became a coach,” he said. “It’s incredibly rewarding to see players develop at all levels, so it was a pleasure to meet Amir and his team today and share insight into how we prepare for major tournaments, which they can hopefully apply in the build-up to their own big games.”

The visit was arranged through the Chase football coaching programme, which provides fully funded access to introductory coaching qualifications and professional bursaries for individuals across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales for whom cost is a barrier to entry. YouGov research commissioned by Chase found that the cost of qualifications and a lack of confidence are among the biggest obstacles facing aspiring coaches in the UK, with 44 per cent of respondents saying financial support would make them more likely to continue their coaching journey.

The programme aims to build a more inclusive and diverse coaching pipeline at the grassroots level — the tier of the game that feeds talent into the elite pathways Shaed and his players got to experience first-hand.