Thomas Tuchel aims to bring the excitement back for England players after saying they were weighed down by pressure and “playing not to lose” at the Euros.
England fell at the final hurdle for the second European Championships in a row last summer under Gareth Southgate, finishing runners-up to Spain after a series of underwhelming performances.
Tuchel has been tasked with helping the team take the next step and ending what will be 60 years without a major trophy with victory at next year’s World Cup – but he says to do that the players must be given freedom to express themselves.
“Watching the Euros, I felt tension and pressure on the shoulders of the players,” Tuchel said, ahead of the World Cup qualifier against Albania at Wembley on Friday.
“It felt they were playing not to lose and have any more pressure added [rather] than [with] the excitement to make something special happen. We need to turn this around.
“I want us to play with the excitement and hunger and joy to win,” he added. “Acceptance of failure is a part of it in football. You want to implement this togetherness and the joy that everyone feels safe to express themselves and give their very best.
“Play with the joy to win and not the fear to lose.”
‘We need to make sure everyone knows his role’
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England captain Harry Kane explains the differences between Thomas Tuchel and Gareth Southgate.
Asked how to create that opportunity for players, Tuchel said it rests on the structure and understanding each player has about their required role – something he suggests was lost in Germany amid system changes during the tournament.
“Gareth did excellent [in playing players in right positions],” said Tuchel. “At the Euros they were not free enough to express themselves in a stable structure. But England wasn’t the only team to change structure from match to match.
“I think when we play now we need to make sure everyone knows his role on the field, accepts his role and plays disciplined in his role then comes the freedom and within your space you can look for solutions.
“We need to bond a little better, find more rhythm and a little better connections on the field.”
Those bonds started this week, in the first camp of Tuchel’s reign. The German said that while it had been a “crash course” for him in how international weeks work, the quality of the England squad has excited him.
“They reminded me instantly why I was so excited about the job,” said Tuchel of his players. “It’s because of them. They were outstanding in the way they behaved, interacted as a group but also on the pitch. They were amazing. We had high quality, very sharp training sessions. Everybody was open to give their best.
“Good energy, good atmosphere. That’s what I love the most – to be around players and implement ideas on the pitch and adapt to their characters, strengths and talent. It was very good so far.”
Tuchel says players must continue bond while with clubs
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Jordan Pickford says England need to take the next step under new manager Thomas Tuchel as he looks to go level on caps with childhood hero Joe Hart in this camp.
But Tuchel also says that work on the squad’s togetherness must continue beyond Friday’s game with Albania and Monday’s match with Latvia if they are to be successful at the World Cup next year.
“We have only six camps and that’s why I was so strong on the point to bond with each other,” he said.
“We need to find it, then it’s my responsibility to keep connected in between camps, be that to visit the players or call them. The players need to stay connected between camps, too, and take care of each other.
“Otherwise, six camps will not be enough to create the special atmosphere and togetherness which will be needed when we arrive in the US.
“Thinking about what we have to do and the outcome will not help us. The only thing that helps is worshipping every single day we have, and the players have done that every single day since Monday.
“It’s been a pleasure to be a part of it, but it’s not over, this is just the start.”
