Thomas Tuchel says he will speak to Jude Bellingham before selecting his squad for the next England camp in November, but he has not decided which players he wants to be involved.
Bellingham was a high-profile and controversial omission from Tuchel’s October squad, who confirmed qualification for next summer’s World Cup finals with an emphatic 5-0 victory over Latvia, days after another impressive 3-0 friendly win against Wales.
The England boss is adamant that there is no personal issue between him and Bellingham, and that the decision to leave him out was based entirely on keeping the bulk of the squad together who had performed well in the September international break.
However, Tuchel and Bellingham have not met face-to-face since June, when the head coach was forced to apologise for saying his mother is sometimes “repulsed” by the Real Madrid star’s behaviour on the pitch.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Rob Dorsett gives his thoughts on which players have impressed Tuchel as England sealed their spot at next year’s World Cup
Asked if he would reach out to Bellingham in the aftermath of this camp, Tuchel replied: “I guess so, why not? Of course. He is a big player, an important player.
“I will speak to a lot of the guys, and to the guys who get texts from me who are not in camp, because these players who are here now feel the reward, and it is necessary too that I stay in contact with the other guys.”
Tuchel also says that anyone rejoining the camp has to buy into the squad togetherness – he says that is a “non-negotiable”.
But he goes on to say that he is confident that for all of those players who have already been part of his squads, that will come naturally.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Tuchel has his say on the fans’ chants directed at him during England’s World Cup qualifier win against Latvia
“I have no doubt. I am sure that if we invite them, we are sure that they will buy in,” he said.
“It is not a punishment, they have not done anything wrong, and I feel that when I text them and speak to them, that everyone is keen to come back – this is how it has to be. I have trust in more players than are just here.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Watch dressing room footage as Tuchel and Harry Kane give rousing speeches after England’s World Cup qualification
Tuchel is reluctant to focus on any one player and feels there is an unnecessary obsession with Bellingham in the media. However, his team-mates have spoken in the last week of how strange it has felt not to have Bellingham’s presence in camp, and it is already clear that the biggest story around the November squad selection will be whether or not the 22-year-old has been recalled.
“We have Conor Gallagher, we have Trevoh Chalobah, we have Cole Palmer injured,” Tuchel explained.
“So there are a lot of players out there who deserve to be with us, who are hungry and determined to be with us. It has to be like that.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Tuchel has said those omitted from his latest squad must show ‘hunger and will’ if they are to come back into his squad ahead of the World Cup
Fresh from qualification, Tuchel’s next priority is to begin preparation for the third international break in as many months. With England guaranteed top spot in Group K, they face qualifiers at home to Serbia and away to Albania, with nothing material resting on the results. Tuchel says he has yet to formulate a plan, but they are certainly not ‘dead rubbers’.
“We want to keep this thing going and we want to be competitive in the next two matches,” Tuchel told members of the press.
Asked whether now, after the recent successes, he has renewed belief that England are contenders for next summer’s World Cup in North America, he replied:
“Yes, it is a possibility. I cannot promise that we will win it, but we will get there with a strong team, a strong cohesion, and with the right spirit – it is building on the pitch and this is the basis for all of it.”
