England: Tuchel sends message to Arsenal star to fix one ‘major issue’ with Bellingham-esque verdict
England boss Thomas Tuchel sent a clear message to Jude Bellingham and has done the same with an Arsenal star to fix one ‘major issue’…
A hallmark of Tuchel‘s time as England boss has been his openness to make controversial decisions for what he views as the betterment of the squad.
After initially flattering to deceive under Tuchel, injury-ravaged England hit their stride in their last World Cup qualifier against Serbia as back-ups Noni Madueke, Morgan Rogers and Elliot Anderson took their chance in a statement 5-0 win.
And Tuchel has decided to reward his last squad with the core of this group also picked for this month’s international break, meaning fit-again Bellingham is a notable omission by Tuchel, along with in-form Premier League pair Phil Foden and Jack Grealish.
READ: Six reasons why Thomas Tuchel’s England snub of Everton revelation Jack Grealish is nonsense…
This bold decision has upset a few people, but Tuchel will not care at all and he’s even admitted that he was also keen on leaving Arsenal standout Bukayo Saka out of his latest squad.
Saka has been one of England’s best performers in recent years, but he has had a stop-start beginning to this campaign due to a hamstring injury as he missed out on international action during the last break.
Now, Saka has returned to full fitness and scored in Arsenal’s 2-0 win over West Ham at the weekend, though Madueke, who is now injured, impressed in his teammate’s absence for club and country.
And according to Tuchel, this is why he wanted to shelf Saka and Bellingham, with the England boss at risk if losing “credibility”.
“For credibility, as a coach, you need to walk the talk. If this really meant something, the thing that I told the players after the game, and you, this is a very straightforward and logical decision,” Tuchel revealed.
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“I didn’t want to leave anyone out who was in the last camp. What would be my explanation to leave them out and also be authentic in my words? After the Serbia match, I went into the dressing room and I told them what I told you.
“Imagine I have a phone call this time and leave four players out, and say, ‘Now I take A,B,C and D, and not you’ — what would you think as a player?
“’Didn’t you tell me that was exactly how you wanted it, and now I’m out?’ Would you not think that? I think, as a player you would.”
And when asked whether Saka would have been omitted had Madueke been available, Tuchel answered: “I’m saying there’s a chance. It’s very likely I wouldn’t have [picked him], but you will never know now.”
Then, Tuchel was asked whether Saka would have understood and accepted this decision. To which, he added: “He would have had no other choice.”
While Saka is in this England squad, these quotes hammer home the message sent to Bellingham, with Tuchel making it clear that none of his players are safe and all of them need to perform to warrant selection.
This also acts to fix one of the six ‘major issues’ Tuchel, according to The Athletic‘s Jack Pitt-Brooke, has faced since taking over as England boss, with the former Chelsea and Bayern Munich needing to ‘exert his authority’ to establish himself ahead of next summer’s World Cup.
