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Topics: England, Thomas Tuchel, Football World Cup, FIFA World Cup, Wales
Jack Kenmare
Topics: England, Thomas Tuchel, Football World Cup, FIFA World Cup, Wales
Thomas Tuchel has 'effectively ended' the international career of one of England's most experienced players as he prepares for upcoming games against Wales and Latvia.
Earlier this week, Tuchel announced his 24-man squad ahead of an international friendly at home to Wales, as well as a World Cup qualifier against Latvia on October 14.
Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka, who missed last month's internationals through injury, was included alongside Bayer Leverkusen's Jarell Quansah, but it was the list of absentees that grabbed headlines.
Jack Grealish, Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden all missed out on selection alongside Adam Wharton, Trevoh Chalobah and Curtis Jones.
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Speaking at his press conference this week, Tuchel was asked who he had phoned to explain their omission. He replied: “Adam Wharton, Trevoh Chalobah, Phil, Jack, Jude, Curtis Jones.”
Tuchel added: “Normally the procedure is that I inform the guys personally who were in the last camp and are left out. So I call them, I explain to them why, so they hear it from me."
The German continued: “If you are in camp, you maybe have the expectation, if you did nothing wrong and everything went OK, that you are selected in the next camp. This is normally the procedure.
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“This was a bit different procedure this time, because there was only two players left out who were in any way injured, so there was no one [else] left out from this camp. And, still, I felt that it was necessary to speak to the guys that I just mentioned and explain to them the decisions personally, so they understand.”
Tuchel also spoke about Burnley defender Kyle Walker, who has featured in all six of their Premier League games this season, although Tuchel's response appears to suggest his time with the England set-up is all but over.
Asked whether he had called Walker in the past 24 hours, he simply replied: "No". A report from The Sun, meanwhile, claims Walker's England career is "over" after the one-word putdown.
Tuchel has enjoyed a superb start to life as England manager, with the Three Lions winning all five matches of their World Cup qualifying games.
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Speaking ahead of this month's upcoming fixtures, he praised their most recent display against Serbia, a game they won 5-0, and mentioned his decision to drop Phil Foden, Jack Grealish and Jude Bellingham from the squad.
“Belgrade was just on a new level," said Tuchel. "Maybe it was a coincidence. Maybe it was the mixture of the group. Who knows? It was my team’s best camp, it was my team’s best performance. It was the best result, a big result.
“The behaviour on the bench, the support from the bench, support from training, the competition, the togetherness, enabled the 11 to play like they played. I strongly believe that. And it’s not against Phil, it’s not against Jack, it’s not against Jude.
“It is for the guys who were in camp and who performed at this kind of level. Why would I change this? 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?
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“After the Serbia match I went into the dressing room and I told them what I have just told you. Imagine I then leave four players out, and say, ‘Now I take A,B,C and D, and not you’ — what would you think as a player?
“They would say: ‘Didn’t you tell me that was exactly how you wanted it, and now I’m out?’ Would you not think that? For credibility, as a coach, you need to walk the talk.”