Team should occur without fear
©IMAGO
The new England coach Thomas Tuchel wants his team to appear without fear of a possible failure. “We want to play with a desire for victory, not for fear of a defeat,” said Tuchel, who made his debut in the World Cup qualification of the Three Lions (Friday/8:45 p.m.).
During the European Championships in 2024 before Tuchel was England coach, he said that England was more afraid to fly out of the tournament as a hunger. “It was just my feeling,” he said now. “I think it has to be the other way around. I want to play with enthusiasm, with hunger and with the unconditional will – and with the joy of victory. At the same time it is part of the fact that you sometimes fail, especially in football.”
Tuchel satisfied with preparation – and a little nervous
The 51-year-old, who has not trained a team since his farewell to FC Bayern in the summer of 2024, raved about the preparation. “I have to say the players were really outstanding, the whole group was great and the training level was really, really high,” praised Tuchel. “I was very lacking. The energy in a football team and in the cabin is unique. It was nice to see that the players spend a lot of time together.”
The new coach is eagerly looking forward to his first England match in front of 90,000 spectators. “It is incredible, we have a full Wembley stadium. It’s really great,” said Tuchel and confessed that he was a little nervous. “But that’s part of it. I’m always a bit nervous before a game, so it won’t be any different. Hopefully we can convince and take the first step.” With a total value of 1.26 billion euros, Tuchel trains the currently most valuable national team worldwide.
Praise from England captain Kane
England’s captain Harry Kane is full of praise for the new Three Lion coach. “Thomas brings a lot of energy and enthusiasm. He is very passionate when he speaks. He was one of the main reasons why I went to Bayern Munich at all. I know his properties and know how well he is as a trainer. All boys are impressed by him,” said the top striker.
Tuchel, on the other hand, hopes for the future for an even stronger Kane, should he win his first club title with the Munich team in the coming months. “You are very close to getting the championship, which will be very important for the club. And maybe even more important for Harry himself that he has his first large national trophy. If that happens, there will be a big boost for us.”
