Thomas Tuchel Desires Jude Bellingham's Fire So Long As The Three Lions' Star Sets Aside Egotism at the Door.
A single omission was enough. A second one and it could have seemed spiteful from the England manager, a coach who is extremely shrewd not to know that securing World Cup glory will likely need help from the talented midfielder, although it is also up to the player to fit into the tactical structures and team pecking order essential with the national team now that he is back in Tuchel's warm embrace.
Tuchel seeks Bellingham's edge, his passion, but it is about harnessing it constructively. Skill matters but England know from bitter experience that there is a cost when fame prevails. Nevertheless, a statement has been delivered.
The midfielder had plenty to reflect on after not being selected of the previous squad. He watched England secure their spot at the tournament in his absence. He watched Morgan Rogers excel as a high-pressing No 10. He listened as Tuchel talk about loving the squad's spirit and ethics. Naturally, he has reacted in champion style, finding the back of the net for his club versus their rivals and Juventus. Inclusion was a must; another omission would have made his squad place in serious doubt.
The hope is that Tuchel will have a midfielder directed towards pressuring the opposition instead of his own colleagues. After all, on a pure footballing level, there is no advantage to creating tension with one of the best players in the world. The best outcome is that his period not playing has demonstrated that playing for one's country is a valuable, precarious thing. Tuchel, for his part, can now provide cover for the youngster after demonstrating that he is not afraid to drop big names.
“There is no problem regarding him, there is no problem with the character,” Tuchel stated. “Jude just has a competitive streak. You need that kind of fire to achieve greatness that he reached. We all must help him and establish a setting which he can [have] his drive in matches and towards the goals we are working towards as a team.”
The star took up much of the focus at the team news conference for this month’s final group games against one opponent and Albania. Any other news? Indeed, how about another talent? This is another prodigious No 10 requiring coaching. Foden has not played for the national team since March and has struggled to hit the heights this year but the boss had to consider the 25-year-old after his performance in Manchester City’s win versus Borussia Dortmund this week.
The question, though, is how to use the multiple playmakers at England’s disposal. Rogers and Eze deserve their spots and there will be a good argument to select another youngster once he overcomes a fitness issue. Would taking five No 10s to the tournament be excessive? Gareth Southgate failed to discover the right blend at the European Championship. He compromised by squeezing both stars into the starting lineup, restricting the captain's style in the process.
It is hard to see Tuchel making the same mistake if it disrupts the attacking balance. There is room for one No 10, with speedy wingers on the wings. Clarity helps. Bellingham is selected as a central attacker. The new call-up, called up for the first time, is a No 8 and the recalled Wharton will battle Elliot Anderson as a No 6. There will also be no position on the wing for the City star, who must play central. The coach prefers him close to the striker. “It does not make sense to tell Phil: ‘We want you on the pitch but no spot exists in your preferred role, can you play the left side? Can you play other flank?’” he stated. “Phil is to feature in the central attacking zone, through the center. I have this vision regarding him for years. In my view it matches his abilities the most.”
Tuchel conceded there are times when the player has seemed out of sorts in an national jersey. “You feel almost like, ‘Does he like it?’ And a player like him who has this childish joy to play football, then clearly something is not right, whether it's the position, the environment, I don’t know.
“I think he is also so used to representing Man City in a particular setup, to have a clear task. Believe he benefits a lot from clear instructions. Where do you want me to be? Where exactly am I to receive the ball? When should I to accelerate the match? What are my to defensive duties?”
Tuchel talked about one star making runs for easy finishes and Foden netting strikes from 18 yards. He said he has a longlist of many candidates. Morgan Gibbs-White, Myles Lewis-Skelly, James Trafford and Ruben Loftus-Cheek have dropped out. A new face is rewarded for his excellent performances for City at left-back. Intrigue abounds.
Leaving out of Ollie Watkins means there is no like-for-like alternative for the captain in the selection. Interestingly, Tuchel suggested using the playmaker as a deep-lying striker against Serbia or the other. Anthony Gordon, Marcus Rashford, Bellingham and Jarrod Bowen are alternatives should he be unavailable. With qualification secured, this is a moment for a little experimentation.
Meanwhile, it is also a moment to get the understanding with his teammate flowing. It's surprising that one must look back to the latter setting up Kane to score in an international match against Scotland in September 2023 to discover the sole instance in 35 games for England when the duo linked up for a goal. Tuchel will know that the two stars only passed to each other a single time during England’s draws with one opponent and Slovenia at the Euros. Their partnership is lacking.
“This is where eventually it falls to the duty of the individuals,” he stated. He does not shy away to speak frankly. There is still a sense of Bellingham under scrutiny. He cannot even be guaranteed to start against the upcoming opponents. The manager wants Bellingham onside but he will be monitoring him closely. Set aside self-importance at the door. Doing so could turn a very strong England team into an more effective one.
