Lee Carsley’s final game as England’s Interim manager saw an emphatic 5-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland. Here are some takeaways for Thomas Tuchel to remember in the future.
“The pool of players has increased. I’ll give him as much information as he needs.
Carsley: BBC Sport
So, let’s examine what may be discussed when the U21 Boss meets the new England boss.
Large Pool Of Options
With star names Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, and Declan Rice pulling out of the squad due to injury and other reasons, fringe players such as Anthony Gordon and Curtis Jones have had an opportunity to catch the eye of the German before he names his first squad for the World Cup qualifiers, which begin in March 2025.
When you have this luxury of having a huge array of talent, especially in attacking areas, how Tuchel handles this when selecting his future squads will be fascinating.
Desire To Succeed At International Level
Gareth Southgate got the Three Lions to successive Euro finals and a World Cup semi-final, which shows that they can handle the pressure of knockout football.
However, what Southgate lacked in both Euros Finals was the tactical nouse to change games by being proactive instead of reactive.
Hopefully, with Tuchel’s excellent tactic and ability to read his opponent’s moves, he can give England the key to ending their 70-year wait.
Unlike previous generations, this generation of players is united, and Southgate can be applauded for this.
They need someone to take over the reins, and Tuchel can undoubtedly do that.
Captain And Vice-Captain
One of the first things Tuchel will need to do is decide who will lead the team out onto the pitch.
Harry Kane, who got his first senior cap for England in March 2015, became the Captain of England’s 2018 World Cup squad.
His performance and leadership qualities in that tournament persuaded Southgate to give him the role permanently.
With Kane being a good motivator for other players to perform with, it would be fascinating to see whether Tuchel will keep him as his Captain or choose someone else.
Kyle Walker was the Vice-Captain for the European Championships, however perhaps it’s time for someone like Jude Bellingham or Declan Rice, to get a taste of Captaining their country.
Some might say that 21 is too young to be considered Captaincy age, but given his career journey and the fact that he played under Tuchel at Borussia Dortmund, it wouldn’t be surprising if he gets offered the role.
System That Works
One of the main criticisms of Southgate at Euro 2024 was that he didn’t know how to find the right system to get England going in this tournament.
England was basically relying on individual brilliance from Bellingham, Cole Palmer, etc., to get them out of jail.
Southgate failed to understand that sometimes you can’t just throw all your top players on the pitch.
A proper system and style of play are needed for the players to thrive and maximize their skillset.
Take Manchester City’s Phil Foden as an example.
Foden is best suited as a number 10, who creates space or a pass out of nothing, but because Bellingham plays there, he was hanged ou† to dry on the right wing at times.
What Tuchel can do is he’ll have a system that hopefully gets the best out of England’s technical players and makes them a real force in world football.
Can Tuchel end England’s 60-year wait for a trophy?
