Tuchel Addresses England Squad Decisions Ahead of World Cup

Real Madrid’s Trent Alexander-Arnold last represented England in a match against Andorra in June.

England’s head coach Thomas Tuchel intends to personally reach out to each player left out of his squad to clarify his decisions and outline what they need to do to secure a place in next summer’s World Cup.

Among those not selected for the qualifiers against Serbia and Albania were attacking midfielder Jack Grealish and right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold.

England concluded their qualification campaign with a 2-0 victory over Albania on Sunday, finishing atop Group K with a perfect record of eight wins and no goals conceded.

Tuchel will conduct another training camp during the international break in March before finalizing his squad for the World Cup, which is scheduled to take place from June 11 to July 19 in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

“First and foremost, it’s my responsibility to connect with every player,” Tuchel stated.

“Players like Trent, who are on our long list of 55 to 60 candidates, will be contacted. I will explain why they were not selected and what areas they can improve upon. It’s essential to determine whether these changes are feasible or merely a choice on my part. This is my focus in the coming weeks and months.”

With Alexander-Arnold absent from the squad, Bayer Leverkusen’s Jarell Quansah made his debut for England at right-back against Albania in Tirana.

“I have great confidence in Jarell,” Tuchel remarked.

“I recognize his talent and see the complete package: he is tall, fast, and physically strong. He excels in aerial situations and has played every minute for Leverkusen since the Under-21 Euros, which places him slightly ahead at the moment.”

Experienced players like Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire, and Kyle Walker are also on the outskirts of the squad, while Morgan Gibbs-White, Myles Lewis-Skelly, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek were omitted from the latest roster.

Tuchel also chose not to bring in forward Danny Welbeck, who has scored six goals in eleven Premier League appearances for Brighton this season.

When asked about his plans for communication, Tuchel replied, “Yes, and I dislike phone calls.”

“It’s better to use FaceTime; that way, I can see their expressions and get a better sense of the individual. Alternatively, I could visit them at their training facilities. We might conduct group visits for players like Jude [Bellingham] and Trent and visit their clubs. Some will be contacted by phone; we’ll see.”

“We have just completed this camp, and I believe it is crucial for me to reach out to everyone, including those who are not regularly selected, to provide honest feedback on their status.”