Is Bellingham still ‘divisive soloist’ and ‘angry young man’ who England shouldn’t have taken to World Cup?

Jude Bellingham is seemingly no longer a ‘divisive soloist’ or ‘elephant in the room’ for England; will there be a World Cup apology soon?

Craig Hope does appear to have softened his stance from just a few months ago that England shouldn’t have taken Bellingham to the World Cup at all.

Thomas Tuchel really isn’t the one who needs to be ‘more mature’ here…

Sorry seems to be the hardest word

There can only really be one place to start with Mediawatch: the brilliance of Jude Bellingham, even if that England game was 427 years ago.

He was the best player on the pitch by quite some margin against Panama, impressing in a slightly different midfield role and carrying his country to the more favourable side of the World Cup knock-out draw.

That excellence is obviously framed as a “problem” for Thomas Tuchel and “bad news for another star”, because Craig Hope simply cannot help perceiving Bellingham as an issue when finally praising him.

“Jude Bellingham’s brilliance at No. 8 has caused Thomas Tuchel and one star name a problem,” he says in his latest Daily Mail dispatch. “What does the England boss do with Declan Rice?”

Probably plays him when he’s fit and ready. Morgan Rogers wasn’t great against Panama so it isn’t like that midfield is set in stone. Doesn’t seem that complicated really.

“Rice was rested here against Panama and I thought Bellingham thrived in a deeper role with greater responsibility,” Hope continues.

“He saw more of the ball and, crucially for England, he saw it in key areas at key times. A goal and an assist – it was Bellingham’s main character energy that was the difference.”

That’s certainly one way of putting it. It’s still a bit weird – can’t imagine Harry Kane or Declan Rice being referred to as having ‘main character energy’, for instance – but we’ll take it over ‘divisive soloist’, “poster boy for moodiness”, “brand ambassador for petulance”, “an angry young man”, ‘intimidatory ego’, ‘the elephant in the room’, someone with ‘leading-man syndrome having a belittling impact on those he sees as extras’, or indeed any of the risible things written or said by Hope about Bellingham over the past 12 months alone.

It’s progress, is what we’re saying here. It’s not an apology, which by now is laughably overdue, but Mediawatch doesn’t hold out much hope on that front.

Hey, Jude

But wait, there’s more…

“If it was me,” Hope continues, “I’d keep Bellingham at No. 8 with Elliot Anderson his insurance policy in behind. Rice then might just have to wait for his chance to return. It is, for once, a nice problem for Tuchel to have.”

If it was you, Craig, Bellingham wouldn’t be at the World Cup at all. Or have you forgotten writing in November that England could do without ‘ridiculous, needless and harmful’ behaviour like *checks notes* showing some frustration at being substituted?

You also said this:

‘The question now, just when we thought his inclusion this month had answered any doubt, is whether Tuchel needs the threat of such unrest at next summer’s finals. If I were picking the squad tomorrow, I would remove that risk by removing Bellingham.’

Hope can and presumably will pretend that in the months since, Bellingham changed his ‘attitude’ and stopped his ‘antics’ to make himself a better England team-mate.

Of course, between Hope saying he wouldn’t pick Bellingham in his World Cup squad and that squad being named, the 23-year-old didn’t play a single game for England. So it would be interesting to know what changed to suddenly to make Bellingham worth building the entire team around in the eyes of someone who wouldn’t have even picked him.

You can ring my Bell

Jack Gaughan of the Daily Mail has written nothing daft about Bellingham in the past and thus can freely hail the England man.

But this is a weird way to describe a coach using a player in a slightly different way:

‘And it is to Tuchel’s credit that he has felt emboldened to ask this of a midfielder who has tended to prefer a spot up with Harry Kane as a second striker. Although always a standout, the scorer of crucial goals and creator of special moments, seeing him loiter in the final third does leave you wondering what percentage of Bellingham brilliance is being left behind.’

And it was only slightly different; as Tuchel himself said, Bellingham was a No. 8 “who played as a 10 when we had the ball”.

Did Tuchel really have to be ’emboldened’ to ask a midfielder to play in midfield? And is the implication that Bellingham might have kicked off at being used in the same way he often has throughout his career?

Winter is coming

Sod it, while we’re here doing the Bellingham stuff, why not take in a detour to Henry Wintersville over at World Soccer and thankfully not an entire column posted on X?

Winter has ‘covered 300+ outfield players in the past 35 years on the England beat,’ and would rank Bellingham in his top ten. It is quite the honour.

But this is just nonsense:

‘Unfortunately, Tuchel seems more focused on stick than carrot in dealing with Bellingham. He rarely praises him, believing the tough love will mould Bellingham into a team player when he’s already team-focused but with a huge hunger to win that occasionally spills over.’

Tuchel called Bellingham “a big player” who “brings his own individual quality to decide football games” after the Panama win. He said “it’s an easy decision to let him play and trust him” as he is “very reliable” after the Croatia victory. He has described him as “special” and “always able to make the difference” before.

‘Bellingham deserves more mature treatment by his manager.’

One party has struggled to be ‘mature’ throughout Tuchel and Bellingham’s work together with England, and it is neither the player nor the manager. Case in point from Winter:

‘Tuchel’s comment that Bellingham’s on-field temper could be “repulsive” was wrong and offensive and gave licence to his critics to wade in. Imagine being England’s most important player out here in the US and not having a manager who believes implicitly in you.’

Tuchel said that over a year ago, apologised immediately in private and later again unreservedly in public, having used “the wrong word” in his second language.

That it remains the only thing ‘his critics’ can point to in saying Bellingham deserves ‘more mature treatment by his manager’ is telling.

A Spence force

Elsewhere, the Daily Mirror website has found ‘the solution to England’s right-back curse’ which ‘is staring Thomas Tuchel right in the face’.

That is handy, because things are a bit of a mess back there.

But is it really ‘time for Tuchel to consider shuffling Ezri Konsa across his backline’? He hasn’t been particularly convincing at centre-half this summer so using him in a position in which he hasn’t played  for over a year seems about as big a risk as putting Jarell Quansah there to keep a settled partnership in the middle.

‘Transfermarkt records suggest the 28-year-old has operated as a right-back 66 times across seven different competitions throughout his career’ is, admittedly, a stunning line to read. Not sure his minutes as a right-back for Charlton in the EFL Trophy and League One a decade ago offer particularly compelling evidence that he should change positions halfway through a World Cup.

Also not entirely sure you can say that Tuchel ‘does not seem 100 per cent convinced by Spence after twice being captured barking orders at the 25-year-old – once in training and once against Ghana’.

‘Manager shouts tactical instructions to player’ isn’t quite the story you or indeed anyone thinks it is. And Tuchel has been convinced enough to take him and play him in every game so far.

Dreams can come true

‘Mikel Arteta’s ‘dream transfer target’ now free to complete sensational Arsenal move’ – Daily Mirror website.

Kenan Yildiz is indeed ‘free’ in that he has more spare time on his hands with Turkey’s World Cup elimination. Just the small matter of Arsenal agreeing a fee with Juventus and personal terms with the player remain.