Thomas Tuchel's Personal Mission: Explaining England Snubs to Players

England manager Thomas Tuchel is taking a personal approach to player communication. He plans to video call or visit every player who missed recent squad selections. The coach specifically mentioned needing to reach out to players like Trent Alexander-Arnold. Tuchel prefers FaceTime over phone calls to better connect with players during these difficult conversations.

Key Points: Tuchel to Personally Explain England Squad Omissions to Players

  • Tuchel will contact all 55-60 players on England's long list
  • He plans video calls or personal visits to explain omissions
  • Specific feedback will be given on areas needing improvement
  • Some players may receive group visits with teammates
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Thomas Tuchel to personally explain England snubs, plans video calls and visits

England coach Thomas Tuchel plans video calls and personal visits to explain World Cup squad omissions and provide feedback to players like Trent Alexander-Arnold.

"I actually dislike phone calls. Better on FaceTime. Then I see the expression, at least, and get a feeling for the person. - Thomas Tuchel"

London, November 18

England national football team head coach Thomas Tuchel has promised that he will either video call or personally meet every player to explain why they were not selected and what they need to do to make it into his FIFA World Cup plans, as per Sky Sports.

"First of all, it's my job now to make contact with everyone, players like Trent (Alexander-Arnold)," Tuchel said, as quoted from Sky Sports.

"Players that are on our long list, 55, 60 players, to reach out to them, be in touch with them, explain to them why they were not here. Explain to them what they have to do, where they can improve," he added.

"Can they even do something, or is it just a choice, so this is my job in the next weeks and months," he noted.

"Of course, I have a lot of trust in Jarell. I see his talent, but I see the package. He is tall, he is fast, he is strong in build-up. He is strong in the air," he said.

"I saw him playing very strong for Liverpool in this position (right-back), so I always wanted to try," Tuchel added.

"And he plays every minute for Leverkusen since the Under-21 Euros, so he is at the moment a tiny bit ahead," he noted.

Trent Alexander-Arnold is among the senior names hoping to return, while players like Luke Shaw, Jack Grealish, Harry Maguire and Kyle Walker are also waiting for a call.

Danny Welbeck, who last featured for England in 2018, is another player pushing strongly for a place in a squad that has mostly remained unchanged through the autumn.

Tuchel said, "...I actually dislike phone calls."

"Better on FaceTime. Then I see the expression, at least, and get a feeling for the person. Or I need to visit them, visit training, training grounds," he noted.

"We can do group visits. We can do Jude (Bellingham) and Trent. And visit the clubs. And some of them we will call. Let's see," he added.

"Listen, we've just finished this camp and I think it's important that I reach out to everyone, even to the guys we didn't pick so regularly, to tell them where they are and give them honest feedback," he said.

Those currently out of the squad know exactly how tough it will be to force their way in, especially with the kind of praise and confidence Tuchel has repeatedly shown towards the existing England group.

"It hurts me, honestly," he said.

"I told the players 'I have to say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year now, I cannot believe it and in my heart, everything in me wants to be with you guys in Wednesday again on the sidelines and fight on Saturday again' and they sucked me into all of this," he noted.

"This is just amazing. It will be very, very tough for me to not have a match until March," he added.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
As someone who follows Premier League closely, I think Trent Alexander-Arnold deserves a spot. His creativity from right-back is unmatched. Hope Tuchel gives him a proper chance soon!
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Priya S
While I appreciate the personal touch, this seems like too much hand-holding for professional footballers. They should understand that team selection is based on current form and tactical requirements. Sometimes, less explanation is better.
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Arjun K
The Indian cricket team management should learn from this! Our players often get dropped without proper communication. This builds trust and keeps everyone motivated for future opportunities.
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Michael C
Interesting that he prefers FaceTime over phone calls. In today's digital age, seeing facial expressions does make communication more effective. Smart move by Tuchel! 📱
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Kavya N
England has so much talent that leaving out quality players like Grealish and Shaw shows their depth. As an Indian football fan, I wish we had such selection headaches! Our national team needs more quality options.

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