‘Tuchel 2.0’: The eight leaders building a new England

There is a new-found freshness and energy about Thomas Tuchel. Gone is the tetchy figure put on the back foot by England’s World Cup exit and questions about his team’s lack of technique. He’s been replaced by a re-energised England manager who is genuinely excited about how much progress a new-look squad have made since the summer. Tuchel hadn’t intended to move on so quickly but a raft of withdrawals last month forced the issue. A new leadership group emerged over the super-sized international break and Tuchel liked what he saw. Marry that to the players embracing the tactical tweaks he made to improve them as an attacking force and it is no wonder Tuchel was talking of going into the next two games with “extra energy” and “extra belief”. He nodded approvingly when it was put to him that this was “Tuchel 2.0”. There are two reasons why he was so enthused. Firstly he saw his England players embrace tactical tweaks that have made them a more technically accomplished attacking side without sacrificing the “fight and mentality” that he believes are among their biggest strengths. Then there is a new leadership group. Tuchel listed eight players and some of them won’t surprise anyone: Harry Kane, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Marc Guehi and Jude Bellingham. But add to them three new big voices – Elliot Anderson, Ezri Konsa and perhaps surprisingly Jarell Quansah, who is now considered a serious contender at centre-back. Jarell Quansah is cementing himself in Tuchel’s plans (Photo: PA)It is an evolution from vibes merchants like Dan Burn and Jordan Henderson, who excelled in leadership roles but didn’t start games. “We said to (the eight in the leadership group) at the start of the last camp, we need to have the same standards as we did at the start of the World Cup,” Tuchel said. “They have to take care of things in their own way. We built a different leadership group, which was a first for me. (Before) there was a leadership group which was not only reflected in the minutes (they played). For example, Dan Burn was in that leadership group but he was not a regular starter for us. “I want to have a group that starts matches regularly for us. These players don’t have a guarantee (of minutes) but I said ‘I want you to start these matches and you make sure first of all that you start these matches and you make sure that that the energy, attitude, the standards within the group are at the highest level’. That has not changed. “Declan has joined the group now. So they are basically a leadership group on the field.” Tuchel’s management has always been about standards and he admitted he was sending a message to potential England call-ups by continuing to leave out Cole Palmer, who he repeated had missed too many camps. The insinuation was that others who had joined up had overtaken him and there was no call to Palmer to explain his decision – a privilege he had extended to Burn and both Jordan and Dean Henderson. He was more conciliatory about Phil Foden, though, whose England exile continues. “So Phil is always an option because I’m in love with him as a player. What is not to love? “If you see the boy train it’s just the highest, highest quality. We’re talking about numbers. We’re talking about numbers in an England shirt. Which is not in proportion to his talent and to his potential. “If we can align this, if we can first of all align this for his club and become a regular starter and be decisive he has to be always an option.” England’s Nations League fixtures England vs Croatia – Thursday 12 November 7:45pm, Wembley Spain vs England – Sunday 15 November 7:45pm, Metropolitano, Madrid England can top the group with at least one win providing Spain, who sit three points in front with inferior goal difference, drop points against Czech Republic and Croatia. Eberechi Eze – in and out for Arsenal – was “close” to losing his place and Morgan Gibbs-White was named as another “fighting” to retain his England spot. Kobbie Mainoo, he said, was unfortunate for two reasons – Manchester United “falling off a cliff performance-wise” and pulling out of the last camp when Tuchel had been “desperate” to give him minutes. In a rare nod to the past, he admitted he had apologised to Mainoo in front of the entire squad in the US for not giving him a single minute during the World Cup. “He was disappointed and it cost him a little bit of confidence,” Tuchel said of the Manchester United man.