Tuchel makes England demand after sharing key Euro 2024 final study with squad

Thomas Tuchel has pinpointed what he believes was a key factor in England’s defeat to Spain at Euro 2024 and has made a demand to the squad to remedy it.

Tuchel will take charge of his first England game on Friday against Albania ahead of Latvia on Monday as the Three Lions’ World Cup qualification gets underway.

The German has been appointed to carry England to World Cup glory in 2026 after they’ve fallen painfully short of claiming a major trophy under Gareth Southgate.

And the former Chelsea boss has demanded the England players speak to one another more during difficult spells in games in a bid to make the final push.

According to The Guardian ‘the new head coach underlined the importance he attaches to communication by showing his squad a graph detailing how interactions reduced significantly in the second half of the Euro 2024 final defeat by Spain’.

The report states:

‘The figures were shared during a team meeting at St George’s Park as Tuchel prepares for his opening game, the World Cup qualifier against Albania at Wembley on Friday.

‘A study was done of how often each player gestured at or spoke to a teammate against Spain. England went 1-0 down in the 47th minute and, although Cole Palmer equalised in the 73rd minute, they conceded a decisive late goal.

‘England’s interactions – the number of times they communicated with one another – were far too low for Tuchel’s liking during the second half, falling from 60 before the interval to 35.’

“That’s where Spain dominated and we couldn’t get up to them after that,” Jordan Pickford said, reflecting on Tuchel’s message.

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And Morgan Rogers also spoke out on the importance of improved communication when asked what Tuchel had pinpointed as areas to improve upon.

“The communication aspect,” he said. “When momentum shifts in a game, we stick together.

“It’s not going to go perfect. It was about sticking together and being together as one, and speaking to people. Just talking and being on that same page, that makes a massive difference when you’re playing.

“I know that first-hand. Being at the clubs I’ve been at, having the leaders I’ve had in dressing rooms and on the pitch, having that person speaking to you constantly certainly helps me. It helps you get through sticky moments.”

Rogers has been impressed how “clear and transparent” Tuchel has been with them and by his “aura and demeanour”.

Rogers added: “When I met him, his aura and demeanour … it is hard to explain but he has that level of confidence, that level of respect already. You can see the way he is, the way he acts. He has been so chilled and calm. But when it is time to work, it is time to work.

“You know what he has done in the game and the respect he has got from managers and players he has worked with. You know he is coming in with some serious ideas and it is about taking it on board and learning from it.”