Thomas Tuchel has urged England to play with confidence, claiming they were “afraid” during their run to the Euro 2024 final under Gareth Southgate.
Tuchel will take charge of England for the first time on Friday when they face Albania at Wembley in their opening World Cup qualifier. The German, who officially started in January after being appointed in October, wants to instil a more dynamic approach after watching England’s tense performances at the European Championship.
Despite reaching the final, where they lost 2-1 to Spain, Tuchel was unimpressed by their cautious displays.
“They seemed more afraid of losing than excited and hungry to win,” Tuchel told ITV this week.
When asked what England lacked under Southgate, he responded: “The identity, the clarity, the rhythm, the freedom of players, the hunger.”
Southgate, who led England to two European Championship finals, resigned after the defeat to Spain, unable to end their long trophy drought.
Tuchel aims to implement an attacking philosophy that he believes could be the key to success at the 2026 World Cup.
“I felt tension and pressure on the players’ shoulders,” Tuchel told reporters on Thursday.
“They played not to lose. We have every right to be confident. I want us to play with excitement, hunger, and joy, accepting that failure is part of the game.
“We want to create togetherness and a safe space for players to express themselves and give their best. The goal is to play with joy and hunger, not fear.”
England captain Harry Kane, who played under Tuchel at Bayern Munich, was one of several players criticised for underwhelming performances at Euro 2024.
Kane admitted England struggled with the pressure of being tournament favourites.
“There was more expectation than at any other tournament. It was the first time we were seen as one of the favourites,” Kane said.
“Even with our experience, we couldn’t find the right rhythm. Thomas has studied that and talked about interactions on the pitch. He knows small changes can make a big difference.”
Tuchel has been impressed with England’s response in their first training camp under his leadership.
“What I’ve seen in the last few days has been amazing. I hope we can bring that energy into the stadium. There’s a real buzz for the first match,” he said.
“It’s been a crash course for me in international football, learning how to adapt to the rhythm of working with the squad.”
Tuchel, who won the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021 and has domestic titles with Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, admitted he is feeling some nerves as he begins his tenure.
“I’ll be a bit nervous, but hopefully we can prove a point and take the first step. I need to make people believe in me,” he said.
AFP
