Thomas Tuchel says the “brotherhood” England are building is “precious” as World Cup preparations continue a year after Harry Kane questioned some players’ commitment to the cause.
The back-to-back Euros runners-up secured their place in North America next summer with two games to spare, but there is unlikely to be any let-up at home to Serbia on Thursday or away in Albania three days later.
The World Cup qualification double-header comes 12 months on from England captain Kane suggesting some team-mates had forgotten the importance of representing their country following a spate of withdrawals.
The remarks came during Lee Carsley’s interim spell but the sense of togetherness that was key under Gareth Southgate is being cultivated again by his permanent successor Tuchel.
“What we are trying is to build a strong bond, to build an energy, to build a group, to build a team, to build a brotherhood that everyone wants to join,” the England boss said.
“And to also build a competition and to open up a competition that everyone knows, ‘If I pull out in the wrong moment, if I pull out from a 50-50 situation, the door can be closed because someone else takes my shirt, someone else takes my place’.
“Not even as a threat, but the other way around – that everyone is keen to come, that everyone loves to come to camp, loves to perform for the country because it is an honour and this is the last step of elite football to represent a country like England in a World Cup qualifying game or in a World Cup itself.
“It’s the pinnacle. This is how it should feel, so I think we are absolutely on the (right) way. Everyone wanted to be part of the camps, everyone is desperate to come.
“No-one is giving us any signals that this may be a good time to rest because we have already qualified and we will also not accept it, so it’s an energy that feeds itself.”
Asked how precious it was to retain that feeling, Tuchel said: “Very precious. It’s the absolute key for me, before tactics, before personnel and whatever.
“That is the key – everyone loves to be in camp, loves to play for England and enjoys it.”
Tuchel is happy with how the group are developing and says he would know eight of his starting line-up if the World Cup began tomorrow.
But the German is only interested in the Serbia qualifier, which is England’s first match at Wembley since he criticised the atmosphere in October’s friendly against Wales.
“If they do what we expect them to do defensively, it can be maybe difficult to accelerate the game,” Tuchel said.
“The best moment maybe to accelerate the game and to bring intensity is off the ball, meaning implement our high pressing and go after them from minute one to do everything that the spark reaches our fans, and then hopefully it’s a good atmosphere.”
Tuchel repeated that it is on England “to get the spark and inspire” fans, some of whom teased him in Latvia with chants related to his atmosphere comments.
“Do I regret saying it? No,” he said. “It was a genuine reaction
“If you only go in life and you only say (what people want to hear) then you become a fish. I am not a fish. Like you dribble around every corner just to avoid (things).”
