England Manager Tuchel Insists No Issue with Bellingham, Phil Foden, or Grealish

Media Description: Tuchel on Jude Bellingham

England's Head Coach Thomas Tuchel has declared that he holds "no issue" with Jack Grealish following the trio did not make the Three Lions squad for forthcoming matches against Latvia and Wales.

Bellingham has not been recalled despite returning from a shoulder injury, while Foden and Grealish are also absent despite showing a return to form with their respective clubs.

Tuchel revealed that Bellingham desired to be included of the selection, having spoken with him on the phone.

"He is a unique talent, and for exceptional talents there can often be special rules," the coach remarked regarding the Real Madrid star, who has only started once since coming back to fitness.

"However we decided to maintain the straightforward decision of calling up the identical squad.

"Jude always deserves to be here. There is the factor that he has not fully found his optimal form again at his club - he has not finished a full game.

"He wanted to be called up. We had a telephone conversation."

Tuchel was keen to emphasize his good rapport with the midfielder following he said sorry to him previously for describing his conduct during a match as "disgusting" in a live interview.

The German explained that he used the words "without meaning to" and promised to be more cautious going forward.

When asked if he had a problem with the player, Tuchel said: "None. There is also no problem with Foden or Grealish.

"Foden is back to impacting and deciding games for his club. Jack is very close to being back to the top form of himself.

"There is no personal problem."

Saka taking the place of the hurt Noni Madueke is the sole alteration to last month's squad, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Jarell Quansah retaining their places after being last-minute call-ups previously due to fitness concerns.

The Three Lions face Wales in a non-competitive match at Wembley Stadium on Thursday before a qualifying match in the Latvian capital on 14 October.

Should England triumph in Latvia, they will require a up to two more points from their remaining two matches - against Serbia and Albania in next month - to earn a place in the upcoming World Cup in North America.

Impressive Display By the Manager

England produced their best display by some distance under the manager's guidance when they beat Serbia 5-0 away in Belgrade last time out.

The coach stated that showing meant it an straightforward choice to stick with mostly the identical group, though "there are absolutely no guarantees" for every squad member regarding being picked.

"The last camp was only three and a half weeks ago and the teamwork and spirit was at its peak. That is why we chose to invite the same group to this camp," he commented.

"Phil is in a very good moment. Adam Wharton merits to be with us. Curtis Jones and Trevoh Chalobah are getting minutes with their teams.

"We have players who warrant to be here. Cole Palmer is unfit and is a key talent. It will always be like this.

"Are we a better team with Jude? Yes. But I mentioned before, what do we do if he is unavailable before the World Cup? Do we just cancel?"

The Manager's Media Briefing Gets Noticed

Thomas Tuchel again gave a headline-grabbing press briefing.

He, a master of handling his interactions with the media, started with an initial remarks to explain his thinking for his decisions.

Bellingham is fit and available and expressed interest to come to camp, but Tuchel has said he preferred not to change the squad too much after a statement 5-0 victory over Serbia - where the manager said team spirit was at an all-time high.

However with him not selecting the star, and his frequent comments about togetherness, it is difficult to avoid link the aspects - although he insisted multiple times how Bellingham is "exceptional" and that there is "no issue" between Tuchel and one of England's key talents.

The England manager has always made it evident that he aimed to make the England squad seem like a club side and, by retaining the same squad after a big victory, he has done that. But the inquiries will come again in the next camp if the team win well in these next two matches.

Misty Hanson
Misty Hanson

A passionate traveler and writer sharing insights from years of exploring the UK's hidden gems and popular spots.