Former Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel has a certain way about him.
After England’s disappointing 1-0 victory over Andorra, Tuchel let it rip when speaking to the media.
“I didn’t like the attitude how we ended the game. I liked the attitude how we started the game, the first 25 minutes, but I didn’t like the last 25 minutes, the last half an hour. I think we lacked the seriousness and the urgency that is needed in a World Cup qualifier. We played with fire and I didn’t like the attitude in the end. I didn’t like the body language and I think it was not what the occasion needed,” said Tuchel, as captured by NDTV Sports. “In the end we played with fire, honestly. I felt it almost like in a cup game where the favourite does not smell the danger. I didn’t feel a team that is aware it’s only 1-0 in a World Cup qualifier because we were not happy with ourselves. I’m not blaming them.
“I even feel like they felt ‘OK, we’re not happy and this is stuck today, it will not happen today’. Step by step the energy dropped. We needed exactly the opposite, but we couldn’t deliver and so we got away with a win. We will not stop to encourage them and make clear after we have a proper look at the match what we want from them.”
Tuchel said he was all good with the team being booed as well.
“The booing is OK. They were underwhelmed and not happy with our performance, especially how we ended the first half, so I don’t think we can blame them for that,” Tuchel said. “We cannot even blame them how we ended the match. In the opposite. I thought they were fantastic throughout the whole match. I did not hear anything about what you said about abusive songs or chants (about the Prime Minister), so if it happens of course it’s not acceptable but I didn’t hear it.”
Man…this is SO reminiscent of his time at Bayern Munich. How long before the England locker room turns on him?
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