Thomas Tuchel has made Three Lions stance clear to Carlo Ancelotti, Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta ahead of England’s World Cup qualifier against Latvia.
Thomas Tuchel has stated he will not prioritise club convenience when selecting his England team.
The Three Lions tactician emphasised that while he cares for his players, he will not rest them solely for the benefit of their clubs.
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What Tuchel said
Tuchel cited Declan Rice's involvement in a Champions League match for Arsenal, despite their comfortable aggregate lead, as an example of clubs not always considering international fixtures.
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“Given the fact Declan Rice played after a 7-1 first leg, he played the next match with Arsenal,” Tuchel said on Sunday, “I didn’t have the feeling that they think so much about us. So I don’t think we have to break our heads about this.”
Tuchel affirmed his commitment to player welfare but stressed the importance of the Three Lions’ upcoming World Cup qualifier.
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He believes resting players simply to avoid club conflict would send the wrong message.
“I take care about the players,” he said. “We take care about the schedule. But it would be the wrong signal to tell players now ‘hey you have tough (club) matches coming up so I rest you now.’”
Tuchel clarified that England maintains contact with clubs and monitors player fitness, but will not take unnecessary risks.
He highlighted his responsibility to the players and his desire for them to perform well in club competitions.
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“We have a qualifier to play, we do what’s good for us,” the German manager continued. “We are in contact with the clubs. We are in high-level monitoring where the statuses are known, and we won’t 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 players to play the quarter-finals of the Champions League – all of them – because I want to watch it.
“In the end we take care about [ourselves] and the clubs take care about themselves. And the main focus is taking care of the players.”
What next for England
England seek to continue their 100% record in World Cup qualifying with a positive result in Monday’s match with Latvia at Wembley.
The Three Lions claimed a 2-0 success against Albania in Tuchel’s bow as Three Lions boss.