Manager Thomas Tuchel said England feels like home, even if he is not ready to sing the national anthem.
Tuchel said he needed to earn the right to sing ‘God Save the King’ as he prepared to lead England to their first World Cup appearance. However, although the German manager says he is “not there yet”, it is clear he wants to lead England to glory this summer and dazzle the nation.
Tuchel is also relishing the opportunity, saying ahead of his side’s opening group game against Croatia that he feels a strong affinity for his country.
Asked if he would sing the national anthem, Tuchel said: “Not yet. I don’t think we’re there yet. I’m still a little shy at the last minute and I don’t want to upset people and I don’t want to focus on that right now.”
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“But when I land, when I fly home, I basically feel like I’m at home. When I fly home to London, I would say this now: When I land in London and I’m in England, I feel like I’m at home.
“Yeah, that’s how it felt. I can’t explain it, but it’s been like this since the first few weeks at Chelsea. Of course it felt good to be in the country, in the city and to be part of the Premier League.”
“Every day was like a gift. I felt like I was in the right place, understanding the right mindset of the players and what the league brings to the players and what the fans expect from the players and coaches. It just… it felt very comfortable to me.”
“I loved it from day one. It was very easy to adapt. So…I can’t say it enough, but I’m grateful. It’s an honor for me to be England’s head coach and there’s no one who would want it more than me.”
Tuchel feels at home in England but won’t sing the national anthem
Manager Tuchel has insisted that England will get off to a tough start, and it looks like a win in the penalty shootout at Dallas Cowboys’ home field will definitely take them to the top of Group L.
England are fourth in the FIFA rankings, while Croatia are 11th and have a rich history at the 2018 World Cup and the opening games of Euro 2021. England won their opening game, setting the stage for Gareth Southgate’s side to advance to the final.
Tuchel has qualified at 100 per cent, not conceding a goal, but he is yet to beat a team in the top 20, with two losses and one draw in three friendlies against Senegal, Uruguay and Japan, which should be a good barometer for England.
But Tuchel insists England will be ready when the major tournament comes. “We are always trying to raise the level, but the level is already very high and that means socially, on the pitch and off the pitch,” he said.
England manager knows his team needs to get off to a fast start (Image: Bradley Collyer/PA Wire)
“Both levels are very high. So if I have a wish right now, I want to maintain it without overdoing it. Before the match, you don’t know what’s going to happen or when it’s going to happen.
“We are in a very good position and have full confidence that we can compete at the highest level. We don’t want to overdo it. The focus now is on the group stage.”
“I don’t want to get carried away and build up the tension even more. On the day of the match, when you arrive at the stadium, the tension will naturally rise. And of course it’s a big match against a strong opponent. So I think everything will come and we don’t need any additional energy right now.”
“I think we have to grow for the tournament. Like I said, I don’t think we need the emotional fuel at the moment to reveal to everyone what happened. We understand that. But at the moment, I even think it’s an advantage to be so focused on something that we can actually make an impact on.”
“We don’t put it in the big picture, we just put it where it is, get ready, take it day by day, and impact what we can impact.
“One day at a time, that’s what we’ve done. And if we can stay there, I think we’ll have a better chance of competing and performing at the highest level.”
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