FA will hold talks with Thomas Tuchel over appointing an ethnic minority coach in his England backroom team – as part of long-running commitment

The Football Association will hold talks with next boss Thomas Tuchel over their long-running commitment to offering an ethnic minority coach a position on the England backroom team.

Interim head coach Lee Carsley has confirmed Ashley Cole will return to the Under-21s with him after England’s game with Ireland on Sunday, raising questions over the positioning of a BAME coach when Tuchel takes over on January 1.

During Gareth Southgate’s reign Chris Powell, Paul Nevin and Jimmy Floyd Hasslebaink all had key roles in England’s backroom team, while Joleon Lescott has joined Cole during Carsley’s interim reign.

So far, only Anthony Barry has been confirmed as a member of Tuchel’s backroom team, while the FA are trying to appoint Chelsea’s goalkeeper coach Hilario, who is Portuguese.

But the FA will broach the concept of appointing an ethnic minority coach onto his staff with Tuchel ahead of his start date on January 1.

Ashley Cole will return to the Under-21s set-up with Lee Carsley after their interim spell ends

Under the FA and PFA’s Elite Coaching Placement Programme (ECCP), launched in 2018, England teams are committed to offering opportunities to BAME individuals in hope of increasing diversity across top level football.

Failure to include an ethnic minority coach on Tuchel’s team for England’s World Cup 2026 campaign will raises questions over the governing body’s commitment to the ECCP during a time when the FA have appointed a foreign national team boss.