Thomas Tuchel retains confidence in England despite ‘tough learning' experience
Having kicked off his reign, and the road to North America, with a pair of Wembley wins in March, the honeymoon period came to a crashing end as the German coach's side were booed for the second time in four days.
Tuchel's men were jeered off after just edging past 173rd-ranked Andorra 1-0 in Saturday's stultifying World Cup qualifier, which was compounded by an alarming friendly display against Senegal on Tuesday.
The City Ground witnessed history as England lost to African opposition for the first time, with the visitors, ranked 19th in the world, bouncing back from Harry Kane's early opener to deservedly win 3-1.
'The result is absolutely not the result that we wanted, and we hate to lose, of course, but not everything was bad,' Tuchel said. 'We had a lot of changes, playing against number 19 in the world with a lot of quality.
'You can see in the joy, the celebration of Senegal in the dressing room, on the pitch, what it means to them. This is what it is at the moment, so everyone plays against us like it is a knockout game, like it's a cup final.
'We had a lot of changes, we had many players who don't have so many caps playing together, because I wanted to see them in exactly these situations.
'It is the second camp, there's a lot of learning going on for all of us. It's in the moment a tough learning (experience) but, yeah, we need the same calm.
'It's not what we expect from ourselves result-wise and in the moment we need to accept the criticism and get better.'
Tuchel feels England's internal expectations are 'holding us back at the moment a little bit', pointing to the fact the side played with more freedom after going behind against Senegal in Nottingham.
That is one of a variety of issues the head coach has to look at with just four camps to go until he makes his World Cup selection – assuming there is no qualification collapse from a group that retains his confidence.
Put to Tuchel he has a plenty to mull over before Group K resumes in September with a home game against Andorra and tough trip to Serbia, he told BBC Radio 5 Live: 'Yes, of course, and I will.
Defeat for the #ThreeLions against Senegal in Nottingham. pic.twitter.com/fzMJ6kew2u
— England (@England) June 10, 2025
'But the World Cup is not next week, and World Cup qualifiers we won all three matches, and we have two more in September.
'Players will have a break now and will be in shape, and then we meet again in the World Cup season. And of course I'm still confident.
'We need these kind of matches and to learn, get better, even me as a coach.
'It's a hard learning today. I would have liked it the other way. It would have been possible, we had enough chances to win this match and from there we go. We take our conclusions and it will get by nature more competitive in September.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Transfer news live - Liverpool in final Wirtz talks as Arsenal bid expected
The transfer window is shut for now, but just for a short time. Teams will require just a little patience before they see it open again on June 16 after the first window closed in time for this summer's Club World Cup. The main name in the window looks set to be Viktor Gyokeres, who was reportedly set to go on strike to force a move away from Sporting Lisbon. The Man United and Arsenal target has now spoken out with an angry statement on social media. Liverpool are close to breaking the British transfer record with a move for Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz and have already added Jeremie Frimpong to Arne Slot's squad. They are struggling to shift Darwin Nunez as the Reds line up departures that could include Harvey Elliott. Speaking of heavy spending, both Man City and Chelsea have both been very busy indeed. Pep Guardiola's have already made four signings this summer, the latest becoming Tijjani Reijnders. Chelsea in the meantime have already welcomed six new faces to Stamford Bridge. Away from transfers, Tottenham have finally confiemed the appointment of Thomas Frank as their new manager. That's all we've got time for here! Make sure you join us bright and early tomorrow for even more transfer news and rumours. Ex-England boss Fabio Capello has urged Juventus to sign Man Utd flop Joshua Zirkzee as a replacement for Dusan Vlahovic. He said: 'Now, Dusan—what's next? I mention departures because it seems Vlahović and Juventus are heading for a split. 'In that case, Juve would need a new striker, especially with Kolo Muani's future uncertain (he's still owned by PSG). 'Who would I pick as the new number nine for the Bianconeri? I'd go straight for Joshua Zirkzee, who showed real class in Serie A. 'Though he's struggled at Manchester United, now might be the right time to bring the Dutchman back to Italy. Zirkzee would also cost less than the frequently linked Viktor Gyökeres. 'The Swede was a goal machine at Sporting, but at 27, he's never faced a top-tier league like ours. In short, I believe the safer bet is the former Bologna man.' Chelsea star Renato Veiga looks like he will NOT be returning to Juventus following his loan spell. The Portuguese spent the second-half of last season with the Italian giants, with reports suggesting that they were keen to keep him. For now at least, Veiga has said his farewells. He said: 'It was an absolute pleasure and honour to represent this huge club! Thanks a lot, Fino alla fine'. Arsenal are set to make another attempt to sign Viktor Gyokeres, reports have suggested. As per Mais Futbol, the Gunners will offer a second bid to Sporting Lisbon. Their offer is expected to be worth over €55m (£46.8m) and could even reach €70m (£59.5m) with significant add-ons. Man United are still interested and would be willing to offer around the same amount but are behind the Gunners in the race. Brighton have confirmed the signing of Olympiacos forward Charalampos Kostoulas for around £30m. He has signed a five-year deal and will officially join on July 1. Fabian Hurzeler said: 'Charalampos is an outstanding young player and we're delighted he is coming to Brighton. He wants to play in the Premier League and we are excited about what he can bring to the team. 'He will give us different attacking options and we're looking forward to helping him adapt to his new environment.' Tottenham have confirmed the appointment of Thomas Frank as Ange Postecoglou's successor. "We are delighted to announce the appointment of Thomas Frank as our new Head Coach on a contract that runs until 2028," Spurs said in a statement. "Thomas has extensive experience in English football having joined Brentford in 2016 - since becoming one of the longest-serving current managers in the Premier League. During his time at Brentford he transformed the Club, moving them up from the Championship to an established Premier League side, consistently and significantly outperforming expectations for an extended period of time. "In Thomas we are appointing one of the most progressive and innovative head coaches within the game. He has a proven track record in player and squad development and we look forward to him leading the team as we prepare for the season ahead." Bayern chief Max Eberl has claimed Bayern Munich were simply not able to match Liverpool's financial power in the race for Florian Wirtz. "If I'm honest, I don't know if we could have paid what Liverpool are apparently paying now," Eberl said, speaking to Sky Germany. "Florian Wirtz is an outstanding player. We could have imagined signing him. But when a door closes, another opens." Galatasaray have only just sealed the signing of Leroy Saner and they have now been backed to sign Marc-Andre Ter Stegen. Turkey assistant boss said to AS: 'Ter Stegen's signing by Galatasaray is a real possibility, and he is totally open to negotiations. He could be the ideal replacement for Muslera. He's a goalkeeper with a lot of experience. He added: 'I don't know if Flick will let him go, but if Galatasaray gets serious, why not? If Barça allow it, it can happen. Everything depends on professionalism and the ability to negotiate. 'Where there is financial stability, any transfer is possible. Players first evaluate the economic conditions, and then everything else." Viktor Gyokeres has promised to speak when its appropriate as the race for his services ramps up. Writing on Instagram, he said: 'There is a lot of talk at the moment, most of it is false. I will speak when the time is right.' Gyokeres was reportedly willing to go on strike to force a move away from Sporting after the Portuguese side went back on their word to sign him for a modest fee. Bayer Leverkusen appear resigned to losing Florian Wirtz sooner rather than later. According to Sky in Germany, the Bundesliga side expect his move to Liverpool to bve finalised next week. He is set to undergo a medical over the coming days once he gets back from holiday. Liverpool are anticipated to pay a British record fee for the German playmaker. Turkish side Galatasaray have confirmed that they have sealed a deal for Leroy Sane, who joins the club from Bayern Munich. A statement said: "An agreement has been reached with the football player Leroy Aziz Sané for a period of three seasons, starting from July 1, 2025. According to the agreement, the player will be paid a net guaranteed salary of €9.000.000 per season, along with a net loyalty bonus of €3.000.000 per season. Respectfully announced to the public." Sane joins Galatasaray on a free transfer after letting his Bayern contract run down. Manchester United have officially entered the race to sign Hugo Ekitike, according to reports in Germany. As per Sky in Germany, the Red Devils have made 'contact' with Eintracht Frankfurt regarding the striker. They have expressed concrete interest in him and have requested further attention. Liverpool and Chelsea are also interested. But a deal won't be cheap, with Frankfurt expected to demand around £85m. On the topic of coaches, Liverpool are set to appoint Giovanni van Bronckhorst as assistant boss. Arne Slot is looking to add another Dutchman to his coaching team to replace Johnny Heitinga, who departed to take the top job at Ajax. Van Bronckhorst has been out of work since he was sacked by Besiktas in November. The Dutch coach has previously managed Feyenoord - like Slot - as well as Rangers. But now he will step back into a role as an assistant to take over from Heitinga if a deal gets completed. Heitinga was a popular figure among the Liverpool players after just a year at the club for the former Everton defender. But he could not turn down the chance to take charge of Ajax, where he has previously been interim boss. Van Bronckhorst had a distinguished career as a player having played with Rangers, Arsenal, Barcelona and Feyenoord at either end of his playing time. Tottenham have announced some more changes to their backroom team ahead of the arrival of Thomas Frank. A statement from Spurs read: "We can announce the departures of Mile Jedinak, Nick Montgomery and Sergio Raimundo from their roles as Assistant Coaches. "We should like to thank them for their contribution to the Club and wish them every success for the future." Fotis Ioannidis is set to be at the heart of a tug of war between three clubs this summer. According to , the Foxes have made an approach for the Panathinaikos striker who could leave the Greek side for £17m this summer. Crystal Palace and Southampton are also interested. Leicester were also interested last summer but had a host of bids rejected. Napoli have confirmed the capture of Kevin De Bruyne. The former Manchester City midfielder has joined the newly minted Italian champions after leaving the Etihad on a free transfer. Liverpool are planning to raid PSG for Bradley Barcola, according to The Sun. They claim the Reds still want to sign another two attackers after signing Florian Wirtz with Barcola and Alexander Isak on their radar. It's though Isak is unlikely to mover this summer despite interest in him. Chris Wilder could be sacked by Sheffield United TODAY, per numerous reports. The Sheffield United boss looks set to pay the ultimate price for failing to get his boyhood club over the line in the Championship play-off final. It's said Wilder's fate is set to be decided at a meeting today. Tom McIntyre could leave Portsmouth this summer after spending the second half of the season on loan at Charlton Athletic. The centre-half, 26, joined Pompey 18 months ago from Reading. But McIntyre may depart Fratton Park in search of regular football with Championship and League One clubs interested in the defender, who boasts a wealth of EFL experience. McIntyre made 10 appearances in total for Charlton, winning a second successive promotion to the Championship after going up with Pompey 12 months earlier. Manchester United have confirmed the £62.5m signing of Matheus Cunha. Brazil forward Cunha, United's first signing of the summer window, said: 'It is hard to put into words my feelings about becoming a Manchester United player. Ever since I was a child in Brazil watching Premier League games on TV at my grandmother's house, United was my favourite English team and I dreamed of wearing the red shirt." Tottenham have reached an agreement with Brentford to make Thomas Frank their next head coach. Frank will be teaming up again with Spurs technical director Johan Lange, who shared an office with him when they worked together at Danish club Lyngby. The Lilywhites had to pay a £10m release clause and come to agreement over backroom staff. Full story Aston Villa are the latest sided to register their interest in signing Manchester United star Alejandro Garnacho, per reports. Villa are in the market to strengthen their forward line. According to the Independent, Villa have become the latest side to register their interest in the Argentina international who is expected to depart Old Trafford this summer. Tottenham have moved a step further in their bid to name Thomas Frank as the man to replace Ange Postecoglou this week. Reports suggest the Lilywhites have agreed a deal to bring a key member of Frank's backroom team at Brentford to the club. Justin Cochrane will move across London to be Frank's assistant. Hola! Trent Alexander-Arnold was presented to fans in Madrid for the first time and delivered some pretty fluent Spanish. Almost like the move was expected for a while... The England star explained why he joined the club from Liverpool. Napoli fans have made their feelings clear on Kevin De Bruyne prospective move as the Belgian international flew into Rome airport on Thursday ahead of a medical with his new club. The midfielder was greeted by fans chanting his name. Andy Robertson has given his verdict on Florian Wirtz ahead of the German international's record move to Liverpool. "He was excellent against us. He was the one causing problems, in the half space, running in behind, he can mix it up," Robertson saidat the AR26 annual Captain's Cup Golf Day fundraiser. "That was enough for me to see he's going to be a top player. In the Germany team against us he was excellent. If we get him through, an exciting talent through the door. We have already got a lot of exciting talent. He's a right good player and he'll only help us. If he does get through the door we'll be excited to play with him." Eintracht Frankfurt will not dip below their asking price for star striker Hugo Ekitike. Liverpool and Chelsea have been told to pay up €100m for the 22-year-old striker if they want to add him to the squad. 'If the price isn't right, then he'll just stay with us. We don't have to sell Hugo,' Frankfurt CEO Markus Krösche told Wiesbadener Kurier. Bayern Munich star Leroy Sane has chosen to move to Galatasaray despite interest from Arsenal and spoken of the club's desire and size when explaining his decision to move to Turkey. Full story. Andy Robertson has confirmed he has been in contract talks with Liverpool. 'We have discussed [my future], of course we have," he said. "We've had good discussions, me and the club, but what the future holds, I'm not sure. 'All I know is I fly off on holiday and it's well needed. I need a rest after a long season, and then I look forward to pre-season. That's all my focus is. 'I can't look too far ahead, I never have done that so I'm not going to start doing that now. I know the position I'm in, I know I've only got a year left." Borussia Dortmund are not considering a move for Jadon Sancho. There is said to be plenty interest in the winger but he would enjoy a third stay with his former club. Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl has ruled out a move. He said: "Of course, there's always some kind of contact with Jadon because of the long history we share. But at the moment, Jadon is not a topic for us."
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Matheus Cunha breaks silence after signing as Mason Greenwood reunion confirmed
Manchester United have confirmed the arrival of Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers but there's plenty more work left to do for Ruben Amorim over the summer Manchester United's busy summer has been continuing, with Matheus Cunha's arrival from Wolves now official. The Brazilian has joined in a £62.5million move, and is officially the first new arrival at Old Trafford during Ruben Amorim's first summer window. Amorim's side have already lost several senior stars this summer, with the club announcing their released and retained lists. Victor Lindelof, Cristian Eriksen and Jonny Evans will all leave when their contracts expire, though discussions remain over an extension for Tom Heaton. Cunha is unlikely to be the last new arrival, though. Despite failing to qualify for the Champions League - or indeed any UEFA competition - Amorim's team have money to spend. We're also anticipating a number of exits as United prepare to raise funds for further new faces. Bruno Fernandes might be staying put, but it's likely to be a different story when it comes to the likes of Marcus Rashford and Antony. We've got the latest from Cunha himself, as well as some updates on other deals. Here are Mirror Football 's Friday morning lines from around Old Trafford. Cunha breaks silence Matheus Cunha has opened up on his love for Manchester United after joining the club. The Brazilian's first Premier League move came when he left Atletico Madrid for Wolves, but he now has the chance to pull on United's famous red shirt. 'It is hard to put into words my feelings about becoming a Manchester United player," Cunha said. "Ever since I was a child in Brazil watching Premier League games on TV at my grandmother's house, United was my favourite English team and I dreamed of wearing the red shirt. "I want to thank my family and everyone who has helped me make that dream a reality. I can't wait for the start of pre-season to get to know my teammates and prepare for the season ahead. All my focus is now on working hard to become a valuable part of the team, and helping get this club back to the top.' Dortmund's Sancho stance Borussia Dortmund chief Sebastian Kehl has explained the club are not prioritising a third move for Jadon Sancho, England international Sancho left the German club for United in 2021 and returned on loan to help them reach the Champions League final in 2024. 'Of course, contact with Jadon is always there, in some way, because we have a very long history,' Kehl said as Dortmund prepare to begin their Club World Cup campaign. The deadline for registering players in time for the competition's group stage has already passed, and Sancho is still at Old Trafford. 'But it's not an issue for us right now," Kehl continued. "We have other priorities at the moment and that's why the Sancho issue was probably played up more in the media than discussed internally.' Greenwood handed United reunion Mason Greenwood will be United with Angel Gomes at Marseille next season. The pair were team-mates at Old Trafford, both making their senior debuts as teenagers before moving to France. While Marseille is Greenwood's first club in Ligue 1, Gomes first spent time with their rivals Lille. He spent five seasons with Les Dogues, playing more than 100 league games, but will move to Stade Velodrome after reaching an agreement in principle. Gomes made his senior England debut while at Lille, earning a call-up under interim boss Lee Carsley in 2024. Greenwood has also been capped by England, but has since switched his international allegiances to Jamaica. Join our new MAN UTD WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Manchester United content from Mirror Football. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Inside Bath's generation game driving their hunt for Premiership glory: 'We're ready to write our own story'
Phil de Glanville is designated driver for the family's mass migration to Twickenham, so if his son, Tom, emulates his league title success with Bath, he'll have to wait a few hours before toasting the overdue triumph. For the ex-England captain and his team-mate from the West Country club's glory era, rampaging back-rower Steve Ojomoh, there will be extra-special parental pride if the Premiership final is won by the team who dominated the season. They will watch in hope of seeing their boys – full-back Tom and centre Max Ojomoh – finally end Bath's 29-year wait to become champions of England again.
