Thomas Tuchel’s appointment as England boss will have tongues wagging among the players.
Some will see it as a positive move while others may already be fretting as to where they fit in under the German.
Here, we analyse the winners and losers as Tuchel prepares to take the Three Lions, assuming they qualify of course, to the World Cup in 2026.
📰 Table Of Contents
WINNERS
Harry Kane
It was Tuchel that sanctioned Bayern Munich’s move for Kane in August 2023 for an initial £86.4million and he quickly became a key figure for the Bundesliga giants.
Although Tuchel departed at the end of the season, it was not before Kane had scored 36 goals in 32 league games.
Tuchel said: “It’s just a gift, I feel very privileged to be his coach. The guy is super humble, he’s the first out there on the pitch every single day and anything you ask of him, he will do it.
“He’s a huge personality who becomes a shark on the field, because he wants to score, he wants to win, and he does it on a daily basis. He doesn’t only score on a daily basis, he trains well, he does what is needed, he shows his quality.
“He calms everyone down around him and makes everyone better by his pure presence. It’s the highest level, I can put it like this, as a human being but also as a footballer.”
Harry Kane x Thomas Tuchel 🔥 pic.twitter.com/QLpVVfWjvQ
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) October 15, 2024
Jude Bellingham
Bellingham’s time in the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund made a mark on Tuchel.
It is unlikely any manager would not want a player of Bellingham’s talent at his disposal but Tuchel spoke highly of the 21-year-old prior to a clash between Bayern and Real Madrid in April.
He said: “Jude has had an extraordinary development. He was fantastic here in the Bundesliga and how he progressed shows the level of personality.
“Everyone who plays for Real Madrid also plays with the pressure of the shirt, plays with the pressure to play for this club with the demands and expectations.
“He handles it like he has never done anything else before. He is very dangerous, very physical in his game and is an absolute key player.”
Ben Chilwell
Chilwell’s stock has fallen rapidly due to injuries and being frozen out at Chelsea.
Now a part of the Stamford Bridge ‘bomb squad’, Chilwell has become a fringe player under Enzo Maresca.
Rewind just three years and he was Tuchel’s first choice at wing-back as Chelsea won the 2021 Champions League with a 1-0 win against Manchester City.
And with England struggling at left-back – Rico Lewis and Trent Alexander-Arnold filled the role in the last two internationals – there is hope that Chilwell can resurrect his career.
Mason Mount
For Chilwell, also see Mount.
His move to Manchester United in 2023 looks a mistake with the benefit of hindsight. Injuries have prevented him from making an impression at Old Trafford, a far cry from his form for boyhood club Chelsea.
Like Chilwell, Mount was a key man under Tuchel when Chelsea won the Champions League. He has not played for England for two years but Tuchel is well aware of his qualities.
LOSERS
Ollie Watkins
Despite his stunning form in the Bundesliga, the truth is Kane has looked some way short of his best in an England shirt in recent months.
The Bayern man has appeared slow and hampered by niggling injuries, often resulting in sluggish displays, particularly during Euro 2024.
Watkins, in contrast, has looked razor sharp for club and country. His goals helped propel Aston Villa in to the Champions League and his stunning, last-gasp goal against the Netherlands in the Euro semi-final proved he can also cut it on the international stage.
His hopes of overtaking Kane appear to have receded given Tuchel’s appointment.
Bukayo Saka
Tuchel has been in the game so long he has used every formation at some stage, but is known to favour a three-man defence with wing-backs. He then traditionally operates with two central attacking midfielders behind a striker.
For example, in that Champions League final against City, he deployed Chilwell and Reece James as wing-backs with Jorginho and N’Golo Kante as holding midfielders. Mount and Kai Havertz played narrowly behind Timo Werner.
Saka is an out-and-out winger and with the likes of Bellingham and Phil Foden able to occupy central areas, he may be the odd man out.
Marc Guehi
Centre-half Guehi was a Chelsea player when Tuchel was at Stamford Bridge but was afforded little opportunity to break into the first team.
He made just two senior appearances for the Blues, neither under Tuchel. Guehi was on loan at Swansea when Tuchel rocked up at Chelsea and, on his return, his departure for Crystal Palace was sanctioned by the German.
Guehi was impressive for England during Euro 2024 and has developed hugely as a player at Selhurst Park but it remains to be seen if Tuchel’s admiration has grown.
