Thomas Tuchel wants England squad to be ‘a brotherhood everyone wants to join’ | OneFootball

Thomas Tuchel says the love of representing England is “precious” and “the absolute key” as World Cup preparations continue a year after Harry Kane questioned some players’ commitment.

The back-to-back European Championship runners-up have secured their place at next year’s tournament with two games to spare, but there is unlikely to be any let-up in Thursday’s home game against Serbia and the trip to Albania which follows.

The World Cup qualification double-header comes a year after England captain Kane suggested some players had forgotten the importance of representing their country following a spate of withdrawals.

Their successes under former boss Gareth Southgate had been built on a sense of togetherness and that culture is being cultivated again by Tuchel.

“What we are trying is to build is a strong bond, to build an energy, to build a group, to build a team, to build a brotherhood that everyone wants to join,” he 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. This is at the moment where we are.”

Asked how precious it was to retain that feeling, Tuchel said: “Very precious. It’s the key. 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.”

England have had two enforced withdrawals in Anthony Gordon and Nick Pope, while Marc Guehi’s foot injury means he misses the Serbia match, when Jude Bellingham could make his first appearance since the June friendly with Senegal.

Tuchel overlooked the Real Madrid star last month, despite returning from the shoulder surgery that kept him out in September, with this the first time they have worked together since the manager apologised for saying his mother found some of Bellingham’s on-field behaviour “repulsive”.

“He deserves to be back, good to have him back, good atmosphere in the last two days,” the England boss said.

“Everyone is happy to be in camp. It’s competitive, the mood is light. Everyone is happy to be in camp and the attitude and energy on the training pitches is where we want it to be.”