Thomas Tuchel is raring up his England substitutes for the World Cup by urging them to channel their frustrations into making a difference when they come on as players. The Germany coach believes that the key to winning the tournament lies in the team's productivity off the bench, and he will be working tirelessly with his substitutes to make sure they are fully prepared.
Tuchel's comments came after he made some significant selection calls during Thursday's 2-0 win over Serbia at Wembley. Morgan Rogers started in the No 10 role, while Jude Bellingham was left on the bench and Phil Foden also got a start off the bench. However, it was when Bellingham, Foden, and replacement Eberechi Eze came on that England scored their second goal.
Tuchel is known for his emphasis on team spirit, which he believes is essential to winning major tournaments. He remembers how strong a bond the players had at Chelsea during their Champions League-winning season in 2021, and he expects the same level of unity from his current squad.
While some fans may be frustrated with Tuchel's decisions regarding Bellingham, who is pushing for a starting spot against Albania, the coach insists that the midfielder has taken his exclusion "with no problem at all". Tuchel also explained that he chose to leave Jude on the bench due to uncertainty over Serbia's new manager Veljko Paunovic's tactics.
Despite some teething problems during the front four of Bellingham, Foden, and Eze in attack, Tuchel remains confident that his team is on the right track. He also acknowledged that he will have to make a decision about whether or not to sing the national anthem before matches - something he has so far avoided doing.
Tuchel wants his England substitutes to channel any anger they feel at not starting into making the difference when they can because the team that wins the World Cup will be defined by productivity off the bench. He is working on getting the most out of every player, including those who may not see significant playing time during the tournament.
Tuchel's comments came after he made some significant selection calls during Thursday's 2-0 win over Serbia at Wembley. Morgan Rogers started in the No 10 role, while Jude Bellingham was left on the bench and Phil Foden also got a start off the bench. However, it was when Bellingham, Foden, and replacement Eberechi Eze came on that England scored their second goal.
Tuchel is known for his emphasis on team spirit, which he believes is essential to winning major tournaments. He remembers how strong a bond the players had at Chelsea during their Champions League-winning season in 2021, and he expects the same level of unity from his current squad.
While some fans may be frustrated with Tuchel's decisions regarding Bellingham, who is pushing for a starting spot against Albania, the coach insists that the midfielder has taken his exclusion "with no problem at all". Tuchel also explained that he chose to leave Jude on the bench due to uncertainty over Serbia's new manager Veljko Paunovic's tactics.
Despite some teething problems during the front four of Bellingham, Foden, and Eze in attack, Tuchel remains confident that his team is on the right track. He also acknowledged that he will have to make a decision about whether or not to sing the national anthem before matches - something he has so far avoided doing.
Tuchel wants his England substitutes to channel any anger they feel at not starting into making the difference when they can because the team that wins the World Cup will be defined by productivity off the bench. He is working on getting the most out of every player, including those who may not see significant playing time during the tournament.