Thomas Tuchel risks angering Premier League managers with ‘madness’ comment
England manager Thomas Tuchel says he does not take calls from Premier League bosses who are hoping he rests their players, saying it would be ‘madness’ to do so.
The new-look international schedule this season sees the Three Lions play four matches in this current break from Premier League action.
They began with defeat to Spain on Saturday, then play Czech Republic on Tuesday, before taking on Croatia this coming Saturday and the Czechs again next Tuesday.
It is a busy time and comes after a long World Cup over the summer, which saw pre-seasons cut short and players starting their league campaigns with little rest.
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Understandably there will be plenty of club managers hoping that their players are not involved in all four games over the international break, but Tuchel says their feelings are not his concern.
The former Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss says he never contacted an international manager to make a request for a player and he does not intend to take any calls in his current position.
‘I don’t take calls from Premier League managers. I never called any national team coach. It is what it is,’ said the England boss.
‘I cannot manage the players. It’s just impossible. I knew as a club coach, when I was on the other side, that I had this example many times.
‘If I would call a coach in Brazil or Argentina, they would not know what I am talking about. The players would not know what I am talking about.
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‘So why would I do this and start giving the players the impression that it’s okay to take a step back or share a half or to rest one match? Why would I? I would never. It’s madness. We want to win the next match.’
There were a number of withdrawals from Tuchel’s squad for this set of Nations League matches, with the manager warning those that miss a lot of international action, that their chances of returning will diminish.
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Cole Palmer was left out of the World Cup squad over the summer and pulled out of the current squad, with Tuchel saying the Chelsea star has missed an opportunity.
‘For sure it’s a missed opportunity,’ said Tuchel. ‘It’s another missed opportunity. He misses too many opportunities, and I don’t blame him for it. It’s just the fact. He misses way too many camps with injuries and I only want to rely on what I personally witness and what I see within my team, and for that you have to be in camp.
‘If you’re not in camp, there’s a next level to impress that you cannot achieve because you only can do it when you’re actually with me on the pitch and with us on the pitch so, yeah, it is a missed opportunity.
‘My understanding is that he plays with discomfort and pain, and he cannot compete on the highest level with discomfort and pain, so he withdrew and informed us and Chelsea informed us. That is my that is my understanding.’
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Article source: https://metro.co.uk/2026/09/28/thomas-tuchel-risks-angering-premier-league-managers-madness-comment-29657895/