Tuchel Addresses England Squad Selection and Bellingham's Exclusion
Thomas Tuchel has stated that he has "no problem" with Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, or Jack Grealish after the trio were omitted from his England squad for the upcoming matches against Wales and Latvia.
Bellingham, despite recovering from a shoulder injury, has not been recalled. Foden and Grealish also miss out, although both have shown improved form with their respective clubs, Manchester City and Everton.
The England manager revealed that Bellingham expressed a desire to be included in the squad during a phone conversation. "He is a special player, and for special players, there can always be special rules," Tuchel said regarding Bellingham, who has made only one start for Real Madrid since his return to fitness.
"However, we decided to maintain consistency by inviting the same group. Jude always deserves to be here, but he has not yet regained his full rhythm at Real Madrid and has not completed a full match. He wanted to be called up, and we discussed it over the phone," added Tuchel.
Tuchel emphasized his positive relationship with Bellingham, especially after having to apologize earlier this year for describing his on-field behavior as "repulsive" during a live interview. "I used those words unintentionally and will be more cautious in the future," he remarked.
When asked about any issues with Bellingham, Tuchel responded, "No, there is also no problem with Phil Foden or Jack Grealish. Phil is back influencing and deciding games for Manchester City. Jack is very close to returning to his best form. There is no personal problem."
The only change to last month’s squad is Bukayo Saka, who replaces the injured Noni Madueke. Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Jarell Quansah retain their spots after being late additions due to injury.
The Three Lions will face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday, followed by a World Cup qualifier in Riga on October 14. A win against Latvia would mean England would need just two points from their final two qualifiers against Serbia and Albania in November to qualify for next summer's tournament in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
England delivered their strongest performance under Tuchel’s management in their last outing, defeating Serbia 5-0 away in Belgrade. Tuchel noted that this performance made it easy to stick with a largely unchanged squad, although he acknowledged that "there are absolutely no guarantees" for any player regarding selection.
"The last camp was only three and a half weeks ago, and the teamwork and spirit were at the highest level. That is why we decided to invite the same group to this camp," he explained. "Foden is in excellent form. Adam Wharton deserves to be with us. Curtis Jones and Trevoh Chalobah are getting minutes with their clubs. Cole Palmer is injured but is a special player. It will always be like this. Are we a better team with Jude? Yes. But I previously mentioned, what do we do if Jude is injured before the World Cup? Do we just cancel?"
Tuchel's Engaging Press Conference
Thomas Tuchel once again captivated the media during his press conference. A skilled communicator, he began with an opening statement outlining his rationale behind the squad selections.
Bellingham is fit and eager to join the camp, but Tuchel opted not to make significant changes following the emphatic 5-0 victory over Serbia, citing the team spirit as being at an all-time high.
However, Tuchel's decision to exclude Bellingham, coupled with his emphasis on team spirit, raises questions about the relationship between the two, despite his repeated affirmations of Bellingham being "special" and having "no problem" with one of England's standout players.
Tuchel has consistently aimed to foster a club-like atmosphere within the national team, and by maintaining the same squad following a decisive win, he has reinforced that objective. Nevertheless, scrutiny will likely return in the next camp if England performs well in their upcoming matches.