In Thomas Tuchel , England have an elite coach. Don’t underestimate him. In my 12 years working at Chelsea, he and Mauricio Pochettino were my two favourite managers.
Thomas is a great communicator, he’s demanding and he articulates himself really well. I admire the way he transfers information to the press and to players in a clear, concise way that is methodical, inspirational and detailed, all at the same time.
Read more I’ve seen him work at Chelsea. I’ve watched him in training and I’m a huge fan. He’s honest with his players and very direct. He doesn’t waste time – this is business, this is serious – but he’s also a fantastic guy.
He’s warm, friendly, open and he built great relationships with the Chelsea staff. He would invite the women’s staff to watch his sessions and he always made me feel very welcome. I will never forget when we won the 2021 Fifa Best awards for men’s and women’s coach of the year, at home during Covid, both watching on a Zoom call. When Thomas won, I was so happy for him.
It has been three weeks since Thomas picked his 26-player squad for this World Cup finals tournament and I know how carefully he will have thought through every decision. He’s the kind of coach who is going to die on his sword. Sometimes we get caught up in the wrong things when a squad is announced for a major tournament. There are always going to be top-quality players left out. That’s a given.
Thomas has been very clear – he’s got 14 or 15 core players who will be involved in almost every game. Any changes to the starting XI are likely to come from within that group, so sometimes we get too caught up on the whole “26 players”. The reality for a head coach is you need a squad that can come away for 50 days, be together and accept their roles, because plenty of them won’t play. So what are their behaviours like? What are their contributions to the team like? You have to factor in all of those things because you still have to keep the harmony. A common goal requires sacrifice and the right ego. You can see he has also gone for very athletic and durable players.
View image in fullscreen ‘Thomas is warm, friendly, open and he built great relationships with the Chelsea staff.’ Photograph: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC/Getty Images This is never a quick decision for a coach such as Thomas. The decision-making process starts with what he wants in terms of his game model and who can cope with the demands, the environmental conditions, playing in great humidity and in heat. He’s had enough opportunity during England’s impeccable qualification process – eight wins out of eight and no goals conceded – to see these players inside-out.
You can’t evaluate things just on what players are doing for clubs. You have the benefit of knowing how they respond in the international environment. Somebody such as Bukayo Saka has built up credit for England over a long period of time.
When you leave players out, it is never an easy phone call. There is no great way to tell someone that news and it is not a fun thing to do. Sometimes it’s very quick: “Listen, you haven’t made the group and I just wanted you to know that” – and that’s that. Sometimes it’s: “If you’ve got any questions, you can ask” – and more often than not, they’re like: “No”. Every manager will have their own methods.
Phil Foden and Cole Palmer are exceptional talents and it’s disappointing when players are left out. But you can’t leave Jude ellingham out of the squad, and I think Eberechi Eze has also had a good second half of the season, so I understand Thomas’s decision to include him.
View image in fullscreen ‘Cole Palmer is a special player but, at the same time, I understand the decision to leave him out.’ Photograph: Eddie Keogh/The FA/Getty Images If there was one call I was a bit surprised by, it was Palmer. I thought Palmer might have snuck in because when you haven’t got Jack Grealish and Foden, sometimes having that little bit of magic can be a big help. I know he’s scored only seven goals since the start of 2026 and hasn’t been at his top level, but he’s a special player with special feet. At the same time, I understand the decision. Every time I hear Thomas speaking about it, he’s very clear on the profile he’s looking for.
He will have also wanted to ensure he has a group that can cope well at set pieces, which will be a huge factor. He has picked plenty of quality in the front areas. Ollie Watkins finished the season strongly. Some might argue Dominic Solanke could have been closer to a place if he were fit, although I don’t think he’s had a great season, and Dominic Calvin‑Lewin was an option but Ivan Toney is an exceptional finisher.
If you need a goal in a tight game, Toney may produce a bit of magic – and in a tournament where we can expect a lot of games to be decided by penalty shootouts, having such a top-level penalty taker who you can bring off the bench in extra time will have been a big consideration too. That can be priceless.
England get their campaign under way against Croatia on Wednesday and I cannot wait for that. Nobody should underestimate this top, top coach.
Sources: The Guardian
