The decision to expand the team to 35 players in recent camp seemed strange at the time. Fast forward two weeks and it would be surprising to see this system deployed again the next time England prepare for a major tournament. It turned out to be a shameful experiment that could reset England’s hopes of winning the World Cup this summer.
Indeed, the premature placement of the international break in the midst of a hectic training session for club football has limited what Tuchel can do with the team. But that’s really the crux. While most other countries were putting the final touches on personnel, tactics and systems, Tuchel was busy giving pity caps to players who didn’t need to be included in the World Cup squad in June.
The draw was generous for England, leaving their group stage opponents with Croatia, Ghana and Panama. But would anyone be surprised if England spent the first three games of the tournament idly by without knowing their best starting XI or system?
And while there are some ‘injured’ players, most will be fit for the last game before the international break and will likely make a miraculous recovery by the time club football resumes. Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappé, who hasn’t been 100 percent fit for weeks, still turns up for France duty and puts on the shirt, as the 2018 World Cup winner and 2022 runner-up recognizes the importance of preparing for these major tournaments.
One of Tuchel’s big selling points was his no-nonsense approach, which worked extremely well at club level. But just over a year into his role, his decision-making is beginning to show the same arrogance that has affected the national team system for decades.
So what’s the plan? Do you just go to America and hope everything goes well on the pitch? Perhaps the players who cannot find the energy for international competitions in March will be well by then? We’ve been here before, but it never ended well. Early indications are that this time will be no different.
