My belief is back to return for England – Hudson-Odoi

Callum Hudson-Odoi feels like he is about to resume his professional career.

The winger’s current mindset is to start every game with the expectation that he can score or assist, to be a part of the England senior team’s conversation, and once more to impress Thomas Tuchel.

The three-cap England international, who is now 24 years old, has played a key role in Nottingham Forest’s effort to maintain Premier League form and advance to Champions League qualification. On Saturday, Forest will travel to Brighton for the FA Cup quarter-finals.

Hudson-Odoi was one of English football’s most promising prospects six years ago. In the January 2019 transfer window from Bayern Munich, the club turned down offers to sign him as the club’s golden boy.

In a Euro 2020 qualifier win over the Czech Republic in March, he made his England debut under Gareth Southgate. At the age of 18, he broke Duncan Edwards’ 64-year-old record and became the youngest player to represent England in a competitive international match.

However, he broke his Achilles tendon in a game against Burnley in April 2019. His seven months of playing the game were followed by further setbacks after the tendon completely broke off from the bone.

He told BBC Sport, “I had been playing games week in and week out when I received my first call up for England, and boom, everything collapses.” It was difficult, very difficult.

I was simply thinking, “Are I going to be the same player as I was?” Can I run for a ball again or kick it?

Frank Lampard followed Chelsea’s manager at the time of the injury, followed by Maurizio Sarri. However, Tuchel was the Stamford Bridge player who gave Hudson-Odoi his most starts on the field.

However, the process was not always straightforward. Tuchel, who is now England manager, gave him a dose of “tough love.”

Hudson-Odoi started at half-time in a 1-1 draw with Southampton in February 2021, but the German coach later admitted to being “unsatisfied with his attitude, energy, and counter-pressing.”

Tuchel said, “Maybe it’s unfair, but it was my feeling.”

I removed him. We demand 100%. He may not be able to assist us, in my opinion.

He “knows what I ask of him,” he said, “and it’s a difficult decision when he doesn’t meet this level.”

Hudson-Odoi’s form for Forest, which he has five goals and two assists, led to speculation that he might make Tuchel’s first England squad and that he might make his third and thus far, final appearance since November 2019 when he defeated Kosovo 4-0.

Although he did not make the 26-man squad, he said: “We had our differences at times, and that is normal. Every player and coach has a different viewpoint.

Like when Tuchel asked me to play wing-back and I was like, “Why am I here?”

“But it was for the team’s benefit as well as for myself, who was working on my defensive game.”

We discussed it and acknowledged that we had that moment. He is a fantastic manager who understands how to use players effectively.

“I’ll have to go there and prove myself all over again if the chance [for England] comes.”

I only have the ability to control what. It’s about being positive, smiling, and enjoying my football once more.

Hudson-Odoi claims to have experienced “a lot” since making his professional debut at the age of 17 and is now “more mature.”

However, he insists that his drive to return to the heights that made him the most sought-after youngster in the nation comes from within.

He said, “I don’t want to prove anything to anyone.” It’s about demonstrating to myself that I can still be the player I once was, to go back to a level where I had faith in my ability to score or assist, and to have that confidence in me.

Under Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo, Hudson-Odoi has a success in mind.

He said, “Everything has just changed this season, from mentality to resolve.”

We are pushing each other every day because it’s just a big drive away from us. We are aware of our capability to accomplish this.