Beijing Time (CET) October 4th – England is set to play Croatia away. Ahead of the match, England manager Tuchel attended a press conference and answered questions from reporters. This article covers the first part of the conference.
Hello, Thomas. On the eve of your last match, a historic and significant ruling against Manchester City emerged in English football. I completely understand it was difficult for you to discuss it then, and the procedures are still ongoing. It's still not easy to talk about now. I understand that, but we've seen Manchester City found guilty of 114 financial breaches. The whole football world is discussing this, and in your squad, O'Riley has now left, and you also have Guehi and Andersen. Have you spoken to them? How are they doing? Is everyone in the camp discussing this? I assume so.
I mean, we've had some time off, and there's been a gap between games, so it's a big topic. As you said, everyone is talking about it, and nobody needs to add fuel to the fire. So, I'm glad I'm not the one speaking out. Nobody needs my half-baked opinion on this topic. Of course, the players discuss it, and the Manchester City players talk about it too. We've spoken to them, but only briefly. They are ready for tomorrow; that's what they've shown on the pitch and in training.
Of course, it's a hot topic in the training camp. Can I ask about the team's injury situation? This is the third game in eight days. Can you tell us which players have physical issues, and will fatigue be a factor in your team selection?
Not yet, I don't think fatigue is an issue for now. We have been careful to manage fatigue in recent training sessions, and the three-day break between games has helped us a lot. So we can focus on protecting those players who have had high-intensity workloads, such as Elliot and Andersen, and Gordon. For example, everyone trained today except O'Riley, who unfortunately had to leave the training camp to receive treatment as soon as possible. He was in a lot of pain and couldn't return to the field. So, he is the only player unavailable. Everyone else completed a high-intensity training session today, and we even played a 10-on-10 intra-squad match. So all other players are available and ready.
Welcome to Croatia, what do you think of it here? We saw some players went swimming. Also, what is the game plan against Croatia? We see Baturina is back, and we know he's good at scoring against English teams; he once scored against Arsenal.
Thank you, first of all, for the welcome. What's not to like here? The climate is pleasant, the place is beautiful, and the locals are friendly. Our whole team enjoys being together; players and staff are close friends. We trained together for seven weeks in the US, and the team cohesion is strong. It's rare to be able to prepare in such a beautiful place. We're doing high-intensity training here, playing the football we love most. Why wouldn't we like it? The scenery is beautiful, it's a great opportunity to get in shape and prepare for the game.
We expect a tough battle tomorrow against a great and proud footballing nation. Croatia has a rich talent pool, with highly experienced veterans combined with excellent young players, and a new coach. As you know, everyone wants to impress a new coach and will give their all. I feel this game is a bit like a cup match, similar to a cup semi-final, and we will prepare seriously. Training is already complete today; the final two tactical meetings will be tomorrow, as usual.
I greatly admire the Croatian players; they are technically excellent and competitors of the highest level. The two countries have played each other many times in recent years, and I was present at one of those matches. This will be an exciting encounter.
Specifically, we hope to stop Baturina's scoring run against English teams, but he is not their only threat. We are not yet sure of Croatia's starting lineup, but we are prepared and will focus on marking this player.
Also, a second question: regarding the attendance for this match, there will be spectators—approximately 5,000 Croatian youngsters, plus 200 English fans. What are your thoughts on such a viewing environment before the game?
First of all, I'm happy for the kids that they have the chance to watch the game live. It's a huge encouragement for them to see professional players up close; it's a rare opportunity. This stadium is small, and the stands are right next to the pitch, so it's a very special experience. I'm also glad that our one or two hundred loyal fans can be there to support us; it means a lot to us.
However, such an atmosphere will always feel a bit strange. Everyone involved in the game, including myself, is used to the fervent atmosphere of a full stadium. The environment for this match will be very different, and we must take that into consideration. We cannot relax just because we are in a beautiful setting; we cannot enter holiday mode. Most of the spectators in the stands tomorrow will be children, so it might feel a bit like a preseason game, but this is definitely not a friendly. This is a crucial Nations League match, which requires us to maintain a higher level of professionalism. These are the objective conditions, and we must adapt.
Thomas, I know it's hard to talk in depth about the Manchester City case. But broadly speaking, what is your view on calling up players who don't play in their country's top league?
That possibility always exists. My principle is to select the most suitable squad for each training camp and each competition. I would never exclude a player simply because they don't play in their country's top league; each situation needs to be evaluated specifically.
Another question: we're halfway through the schedule of four games in 10 days. Have your views changed regarding the physical impact of such a condensed schedule on players? And the mental strain? I remember you were opposed to this at the start of the training camp.
Currently, my view hasn't changed. At this stage, all our players are still fit to start. I anticipate that after our return journey, with the long travel by plane and bus back to London, we'll only have two days to rest. It's then that we'll need to consider how to maintain intensity, and even whether to sacrifice certain games.
Even before the Nations League began and this two-and-a-half-week schedule started, I said I intended to entrust the main responsibilities on the field to the core players in the squad, and I still adhere to that idea. Substitute players are also actively competing. The quality of today's team training was still very high, which is reassuring. However, there's still plenty of room for selection tomorrow; the challenges posed by the congested schedule will most likely appear in the fourth game.
Hello, Mr. Tuchel. You played Croatia in June during the Euros. Now Croatia has a new coach, who has played and coached in England and is familiar with English football. What changes do you anticipate? Will you adjust your tactics to Bilić's style, or stick to your own game plan?
A bit of both. We will stick to our own style of football. I think both teams will implement their own tactics, but we also see that the opponent will have changes. The former coach was tactically flexible, able to switch between a back four and a back five. In the two games under Bilić, they played with a back four, but we cannot rule out the possibility of a formation change; there might be surprises.
On the one hand, this increases the difficulty of preparation, as we lack a large amount of match footage of Bilić in charge of the national team as a reference. But on the other hand, the burden of preparation is actually reduced. We don't need to plan for countless hypothetical scenarios; with only two reference samples, the line of thinking becomes clearer, and it allows us to focus more on ourselves.
We want to play our own style. Croatia's squad is incredibly talented, and once they find their rhythm, they can play at a world-class level and beat any opponent. So the key to tomorrow's game is to disrupt their rhythm, suppress their momentum, and take control of the game. That is our task for tomorrow.
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