‘Go for it’ – Tuchel wants England to ‘play with smile’

Thomas Tuchel has encouraged his England team to play as they train – with smiles on their faces.

The German was critical of the performance as England laboured to a 1-0 win over minnows Andorra in Saturday’s World Cup qualifier.

Former Chelsea boss Tuchel says the players have trained very differently, however, so he has urged the Three Lions to play with freedom, take heed of instructions, and “just go for it”.

Tuchel began work as England head coach in January and Tuesday’s friendly against Senegal in Nottingham will be his fourth game in charge.

“I see us train with a smile, but not play with a smile,” Tuchel said.

“We need to improve, for sure. We need to improve in connections, in support, in interactions in the group.

“I feel we are too isolated on the pitch. We have not clicked yet.

“We have a lot of positives to take away in training and in the sessions I see a lot of it, and it will obviously take a little bit to translate it to the pitch.”

Tuchel added: “The best thing is to focus on the principles of the game, to give clear instructions to the players, [on] what we expect from them in their role.

After Tuesday’s game at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground, nine members of Tuchel’s squad are set to travel to the United States to play in the Club World Cup.

Chelsea and Manchester City are the only Premier League teams taking part and Tuchel said the tournament’s expanded format will “have a huge impact and will give Liverpool and Arsenal a huge advantage next season to not be there”.

“I think it will be a very nice experience for the players who are there to play this [expanded] tournament for the first time, so I have mixed feelings about it,” Tuchel said.

“I decided not to worry too much, because why should I? It is a given, and no-one knows what will be the outcome of it or the effect.

“We will deal with the effect when the effect comes and let’s see.”

The Club World Cup means many players will have a reduced break between domestic seasons.

They could then be playing in another expanded tournament next summer, with the 2026 World Cup being held in the US, Canada and Mexico.

Tuchel said: “There is not one player [with England] who says ‘by the way, I would like to be on the bench and save myself for the Club World Cup’. They are hungry to play.