Thomas Tuchel has meticulously prepared a 55-man “long list” ahead of revealing his debut England squad. In anticipation of the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia, Tuchel has engaged in extensive discussions via phone with numerous players, as part of the decision-making process for next Friday’s squad announcement.
The Three Lions’ new leader is keeping tabs on Arsenal prodigy Myles Lewis-Skelly, has re-established contact with Ben White who’d fallen out of favour, and has scoured clubs nationwide for fresh talent. Meanwhile, Mark Bullingham, the Football Association’s chief executive, has confirmed Tuchel’s dedication; unlike his predecessor Gareth Southgate, Tuchel has made London his home and frequents St George’s Park extensively.
“I think Thomas realised early on that you don’t build those connections in the six days you get together, so he’s put a lot of effort into that.
“I think he’s got 55 on this long list and makes sure that he’s got a strong connection with them, that they know that he’s seen them. It’s not only the players in England, it’s players playing abroad as well, and I think that that will only stand in a good stead in the long run,” said Bullingham.
Further commending Tuchel’s proactive approach, Bullingham praised the former Chelsea manager for his efforts to forge relationships by phoning players and even meeting international stars like Harry Kane, Kyle Walker, and Jude Bellingham face-to-face overseas.
“I think Thomas realised early on that you don’t build those connections in the six days you get together, so he’s put a lot of effort into that.”
“I think he’s got 55 on this long list and makes sure that he’s got a strong connection with them, that they know that he’s seen them. It’s not only the players in England, it’s players playing abroad as well, and I think that that will only stand in a good stead in the long run.”
Bullingham, the chair of a key parliamentary committee, has praised Gareth and Thomas for their cultural intelligence and connection. He hinted that Tuchel might extend his stay beyond his 18-month contract but is hesitant to commit.
Bullingham quoted Tuchel as saying: “I think he always said: ‘I might be here for 10 years, but I’ll only ever sign up in two-year cycles’ effectively. And the reason for that is he just wants his sole focus to be on the next tournament and and be really single-minded with the players on that, but it’s very early to judge, but I can say that he’s made a brilliant impact already, so we’re very happy with him.”
Although it’s early days, Bullingham expressed satisfaction with Tuchel’s impact so far. He also acknowledged that there are about seven or eight countries aiming to win the World Cup next year, and England is no different.
Bullingham emphasised the importance of creating the right environment and sports structures to enable this ambition. In other news, Bullingham revealed that former Manchester United striker Mason Greenwood, 23, now scoring freely for Marseille, has formally applied to switch allegiances to represent Jamaica.
Greenwood, who has a single senior cap for England, was permitted to exit Old Trafford and was excluded from the national team following charges of attempted rape, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and controlling and coercive behaviour, all of which he denied. The charges were later dropped.
Bullingham confirmed the update, stating: “He’s asked to switch. That’s happened formally.”
