We have our own goals – Thomas Tuchel focused but ‘well aware’ of club concerns
England’s former PSG and Chelsea boss is tasting life on the international side of the fence for the first time.
Thomas Tuchel appreciates club managers’ concerns about players at this crucial stage of the season but says his focus is on England’s targets ahead of their second World Cup qualifier in four days.
Having managed Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Paris St Germain and Chelsea, the 51-year-old is tasting life on the international side of the fence for the first time.
Tuchel is preparing to host Latvia on Monday after starting his England reign with a 2-0 win against Albania and pondering how best to juggle the turnaround while maximising time with the group.
The German admits he would have preferred players not to play in back-to-back internationals when a club coach, but the shoe is now on the other foot.
“I know that this window, this camp, is where the clubs play a very crucial time of the season,” Tuchel told BBC Radio 5 Live. “They play for championships, they play for quarter-finals in the Champions League.
“We are very well aware of it but we have also our own goals, we have our own targets. The players are keen to play and it has to be like this.
“I always accepted it as a club manager. I never got involved in line-ups, I never pushed any national coach because I was hoping that my players get picked, I was also hoping that they are proud to play.
“Of course, you’re never happy if something happens. No-one can predict that there is no accident, but we have a World Cup qualifier and we’ll take responsible decisions.”
Tuchel says he has not heard from any managers this week about England’s players and playfully pointed out how clubs look after their own needs.
“After a 7-1 first leg and Declan Rice played the next match with Arsenal, I didn’t have the feeling that they think so much about us,” the England boss said, pointing to the recent Champions League tie against PSV Eindhoven.
“I don’t think we have to break our heads about this.
“I take care about the players. We take care about the schedule, but it would be the wrong signal to tell players now, ‘Hey, you have tough matches coming up, so I rest you now’.
“We have a qualifier to play, we do what’s good for us. We monitor them, we are in contact with the clubs, we are in high-level monitoring where the status is and we will not take any unprofessional risks.
“Because first of all I feel responsible for the players. I don’t want the player to be injured, I want the player to play quarter-finals of the Champions League – all of them – because I want to watch it, I want to see it.
“So, this is where it is and in the end we take care about us and the clubs take care about themselves and the main focus is taking care of the players.”
Tuchel told the group on Sunday to think about how they play and impose themselves on unfancied Latvia as they seek to “raise the standards”.
The German is still working out how best to utilise England’s talents and indicated there could be some eye-catching omissions down the line.
“We have to get the process right to find the best group,” Tuchel said.
“If that means we leave very good and talented players out of the squad this can happen. In the next 16 months it is important we find the right team and not the most talented 26 players.
“We need to get the team right. We need to get the team spirit right because it’s one thing to play qualifiers, it’s another thing to play tournament football.”
