‘Behaviour is key’ – Tuchel to review Bellingham reaction

Thomas Tuchel said “behaviour is key” and that he “will review” Jude Bellingham’s unhappy reaction at being substituted during England’s World Cup qualifier against Albania.

Bellingham started his first England game since June in the 2-0 win in Tirana but was visibly irritated at being replaced by Morgan Rogers in the 84th minute.

The Real Madrid midfielder, who had already been booked, gesticulated with his arms that he did not want to be substituted.

Tuchel said before Sunday’s game he would speak to his players about avoiding any needless red cards after Cristiano Ronaldo’s dismissal on Thursday meant he will miss Portugal’s opening two matches of the World Cup.

Another booking for Bellingham would have led to him being suspended for the start of the tournament.

“I don’t want to make more out of it but I stick to my words – ‘behaviour is key’ and respect towards the team-mates who come in,” Tuchel told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“Decisions are made and you have to accept it as a player.

Bellingham was one of seven changes made by Tuchel for England’s final qualifier and he showed signs of his brilliant best in both attack and defence.

His final act was celebrating Harry Kane’s second goal, before his number was raised by the fourth official, leading to what former England defender Stephen Warnock described as a “furious” reaction from the Real Madrid man.

When asked about it in his post-match press conference Tuchel added: “I have to review it. I saw he was not happy, I don’t want to make it bigger at the moment than it is.

“My words stand, we are about standards, level and commitment to each other and respect to each other. We will not change or decision just because someone waves their arms.”

Tuchel has previously referred to Bellingham’s on-field behaviour as “repulsive”, something the German later apologised for.

Despite Bellingham’s disappointment, he applauded fans as he went off and did the “right thing” according to Warnock by shaking Tuchel’s hand on the touchline before taking his seat on the bench.

“There was an element where he was thinking ‘how do I handle this’?,” Warnock added on 5 Live.

“There were probably words said to him as he left the pitch. Dan Burn walked over to him, Phil Foden walked over to him as well because they could see how annoyed and disappointed he was. ‘Don’t do anything stupid’ – that is probably what was said to him. The big word from Tuchel was respect.

“If you are going to win a World Cup you are going to have to play bit-part at times. You might not play every minute that you want to play, you have to do what is for the good of the team. The game has changed.

“Bellingham is going to have to take it on the chin and just say ‘ok, I’m going to have to change a little bit to fit in’.”

Conor Coady was in the England squad alongside Bellingham at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and said deep down Bellingham will know Tuchel made the correct decision.

“When the dust settles Jude will know it was the right decision to bring him off. What it is with Jude, he thinks at the minute he is playing catch-up,” Coady told 5 Live.

“He missed the last camp, he knows Morgan Rogers has done really well. He wants to play every minute he possibly can to show the manager he can be the main man for England.