HARRY KANE warned England’s players that Thomas Tuchel will not shy away from confrontation in his bid to win the World Cup.
The Three Lions skipper worked under Tuchel at Bayern Munich last season and says the German will bring high energy, tactical brilliance and a straight-talking motivational style when he takes over in the new year.
Tuchel, 51, lasted just over a year at the Allianz Arena, falling out with some players and the club hierarchy as Bayern failed to win the Bundesliga for the first time in 11 seasons.
And while Kane welcomed Tuchel’s appointment, he admits some team-mates will not like the new England chief’s abrasive style.
Kane said: “He’s really disciplined in what he wants and won’t shy away from confrontation if need be.
“He is pretty straight in how he talks and maybe there were some players [at Bayern] who didn’t like or agree with that.
“But each coach has their own way of trying to talk to players, to criticise players, to motivate players, so not every player is going to love the new manager.
He will be very straight-talking in the media and won’t ever shy away from things.
“Probably come March, there will be players who might disagree with some things.
“In every team, every player has opinions — but ultimately the way he wants to get us playing will be exciting and I’m looking forward to reuniting with him.”
Kane, 31, says Tuchel loves working with English players and also believes they will appreciate the energy that the new manager brings.
The Three Lions talisman said: “He really enjoys working with English players — well, he liked me and Eric Dier!
“But talking to the boys who worked with him at Chelsea, they got on well with him. He likes the mentality of English players.
“He has a great balance of having a relaxed environment but when it comes to work, he’s just really passionate and energetic.
“From my experience last year, he did a lot around togetherness and motivational stuff.
“Whether that’s videos or speeches, he’s just a really good motivator. Tactically, he’s known for being one of the best — but it’s also the energy he brings.
“It will be interesting for him because he will experience only having ten-day camps and then not seeing us for a few months.
“In those ten days, he will want to bring as much energy as possible.
"He gets that balance right of having a relaxed environment when you’re not training, with a bit of banter and a joke, but when you’re on the pitch it is full focus.
“For international football, having that energy in short bursts is really important, especially when you get to major tournaments and you’re away for six weeks.”
Kane says Tuchel’s personality will bring a significant change to the calm approach of Gareth Southgate’s eight-year reign.
The captain said: “We know Gareth had a great way of keeping everyone together but he and Thomas are different in the way they approach training and tactics.
“Everyone has their own stamp and I’m talking about working with Thomas every day at Bayern — so it might be different when you’re seeing him every few months.
“I’m hoping that, come March, it will be a real injection of energy to lead us up to the World Cup.”
Kane admits the announcement of Tuchel’s appointment last month came as a shock.
They exchanged texts back then but will wait until after today’s final Nations League fixture against Ireland to discuss England together.
The Bayern striker explained: “It was a surprise when it got announced. I didn’t know it was going to be him.
“After he left Bayern I assumed he’d go back into another club — but it was a good surprise as I’ve worked closely with him and know how good he can be.”
Asked why Tuchel had not succeeded at Bayern, Kane replied: “Many reasons. I think he found it difficult from the moment he got to Bayern.
Results weren’t terrible and we were very close to reaching a Champions League final. But there were some bigger issues that didn’t quite work out at Bayern.
“It was a shame to see him go as he was a big reason I joined Bayern. I had a great season personally and scored a lot of goals.”
Kane was in straight-talking mode himself earlier this week when he slammed some England team-mates who have cried off from international duty.
He returns to the starting line-up today after interim boss Lee Carsley named him on the bench for Thursday’s 3-0 win in Greece.
And Kane added: “It was just my opinion England is really important.
“After a major championship, these September, October and November camps get forgotten a bit in terms of how important they are.
“If we win against Ireland it sets us up really well for the year ahead.
“These camps build that culture and togetherness that leads you into a World Cup. It was just a reminder playing for England is really special.
“It’s one of the greatest things that I do as a player — and I always do it whenever I’m available.”