England manager Thomas Tuchel has cited Jude Bellingham’s team as one of the major topics ahead of the World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania.
Former England defender Micah Richards is not surprised that Jude Bellingham has returned to the England squad. Bellingham missed out on Thomas Tuchel’s selection for October’s squad, but is expected to return for games against Serbia and Albania in November.
Tuchel opted not to travel to Anfield to watch Bellingham’s Real Madrid play Liverpool in the Champions League on Tuesday night. However, it seems that he already understood what he needed from the midfielder and brought him back into the team for the final World Cup qualification.
“Let’s get down to business, he’ll be playing,” Richards told Bowler League Mirror Football ahead of England’s official announcement. “He has played well for Real Madrid.
“I think that’s the good thing about England at the moment. Historically, players usually just go straight into the team, so I think it’s good that we’re competing for places.”
“I think (Elliott) Anderson has been great this season. (Adam) Wharton has been really good. Declan Rice has taken his game to the next level. Imagine Rice and Bellingham playing eight-a-side and Wharton or Anderson sitting.”
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England have won six of their six qualifying group matches and are already guaranteed a place in next summer’s World Cup. However, Richards believes Tuchel should not rotate his squad too much.
“The problem is that you have to maintain that rhythm, so it’s difficult to give the players a break, right?” He added: “I think football form is the key. If you start telling players to rest here, it… doesn’t necessarily work.”
Bellingham is one of a number of players Tuchel has recalled for future games, along with Phil Foden, Nick Pope and Adam Wharton. Another midfielder, Alex Scott, who has started the season well with Bournemouth, will also receive his first call-up.
Manchester City youngster Nico O’Reilly is another player who could make his debut, having been an unused substitute in his first call-up last month. James Trafford, Miles Lewis-Skelly, Morgan Gibbs-White, Reuben Loftus-Cheek and Ollie Watkins are among the players who were included in the October squad but are absent this month.
“Of course he’s an important player, he’s a big player,” England manager Tuchel said when asked about Bellingham in October. “I’m going to talk to a lot of players. I’m going to talk to guys who weren’t in camp who get messages from me because the guys who are here now are rewarded and feel rewarded. And right now, it’s also about staying in touch with other players.”
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