Tuchel Wants Bellingham's Fire Provided The Three Lions' Star Leaves Egotism at the Door.

One snub did the trick. A second one and it would have started to look vindictive from Thomas Tuchel, a coach who is extremely shrewd not to understand that securing World Cup glory is probably going to require contributions by the talented midfielder, even if it is equally up to the player to adapt to the strategic frameworks and squad hierarchies necessary with England now that he is back in Tuchel's welcoming fold.

The manager seeks Bellingham's edge, his passion, but it is about using it in the right way. Individual quality is important but England understand from past setbacks that there is a price to pay when celebrity takes over. Still, a statement has been delivered.

Bellingham had plenty to reflect on after his omission of the previous squad. He observed England qualify at the tournament in his absence. He watched the young talent excel as a counterpressing attacking midfielder. He listened as the coach discuss valuing the group’s energy and values. Inevitably, he has responded in top form, netting important strikes for his club against their rivals and the Italian side. He had to be picked; another omission would have put his tournament chances in serious doubt.

The hope is that Tuchel will have a midfielder directed towards frightening rivals instead of his own colleagues. After all, in purely sporting terms, there is little benefit to picking a fight with a top talent in the world. The best outcome is that his period on the sidelines has shown him that representing the national team is a precious, precarious thing. The coach, for his part, can now offer support around the youngster after showing that he is willing to drop big names.

“No issue exists with him, there is no problem about his personality,” Tuchel commented. “Bellingham just has the edge. It takes a sharp mentality to succeed at the top that he reached. We all must support him and create a setting where he can [have] his drive in matches and for the objectives we are striving for as a team.”

The star took up much of the focus at the manager's selection reveal for the upcoming final group games against Serbia and the other. Any other news? Indeed, how about Phil Foden? This is another prodigious No 10 who needs love and guidance. He has been absent for the national team since March and has found it hard to hit the heights this year but Tuchel was impressed by the player after his performance in Manchester City’s win against Borussia Dortmund recently.

The issue, however, is how to use the multiple playmakers at available. Rogers and Eberechi Eze have earned their places and there will be a strong case to pick Cole Palmer once he recovers from a fitness issue. Is selecting several attacking midfielders to the World Cup be an overkill? Gareth Southgate never found the correct balance at the European Championship. He compromised by forcing both stars into the starting lineup, restricting Harry Kane’s influence in the process.

It seems unlikely Tuchel doing similar if it harms the attacking balance. Space exists for one No 10, with quick attackers on the flanks. Clarity is beneficial. He is in as a No 10. Bournemouth’s Alex Scott, selected for the first time, is a No 8 and the recalled Wharton will battle another player as a defensive midfielder. There will also be no position on the wing for Foden, who must play central. The coach prefers him close to Kane. “It does not make sense to tell Foden: ‘You are needed on the pitch but there’s no space on your best position, can you play the left side? Can you play other flank?’” he said. “Phil is to feature in the central attacking zone, in the middle of the pitch. I have this idea about him for a long time. In my view it fits his style best.”

Tuchel agreed there are occasions when the player has not looked himself in an England shirt. “One senses almost like, ‘Does he like it?’ And a player like him who has this childish joy to play football, then clearly something is not right, be it the position, the setup, it's unclear.

“In my opinion he is also so used to playing for Man City in a specific system, to have a clear task. Believe he profits a lot from clarity. What is my position? In which positions should I turn? Where am I supposed to push the tempo? What are my to defensive duties?”

The manager talked about Bellingham making runs for easy finishes and Foden netting strikes from outside the box. He said he has a extended list of many candidates. Morgan Gibbs-White, Myles Lewis-Skelly, the goalkeeper and the midfielder have been omitted. Nico O’Reilly is rewarded for his good displays for Manchester City at defense. Intrigue is high.

The omission of Ollie Watkins means there is no like-for-like alternative for the captain in the selection. Interestingly, Tuchel suggested deploying the playmaker as a deep-lying striker against one opponent or Albania. Anthony Gordon, Marcus Rashford, Bellingham and Jarrod Bowen are other options if he be absent. With qualification secured, this is a moment for testing tactics.

At the same time, it is additionally a moment to get the understanding with Bellingham flowing. It's surprising that you have to go back to Bellingham assisting Kane to score in an international match against the Scots in September 2023 to discover the one and only time in 35 games for England when the duo combined for a goal. The coach will know that the two stars only passed to each other once during England’s draws with one opponent and Slovenia at the European Championship. The connection is lacking.

“This is where eventually it falls to the responsibility of the individuals,” Tuchel said. He is not afraid to speak frankly. Remains a sense of the player being on trial. He cannot even be assured to begin versus Serbia and Albania. Tuchel wants Bellingham committed but he will be watching him closely. Leave self-importance at the door. Doing so could turn a powerful England team into an even better one.