Thomas Tuchel already faces club-v-country row over summer friendlies in US
New England manager Thomas Tuchel is already facing the threat of a club-versus-country row over some of his star players – over two months before he is due to start work.
Tuchel does not officially start until January 1 but, in the meantime, the Football Association are looking at organising two end-of-season friendlies for England in the United States.
That will infuriate some of the clubs of England’s most important players and could leave Tuchel in the middle of a row involving stars such as Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Cole Palmer.
It is understood that discussions have taken place for England to play friendlies against the US, managed by Mauricio Pochettino, and either Mexico or Canada – who are also co-hosting the World Cup in 2026 – in early June.
The proposed friendlies are dependent on the World Cup draw in Zurich in December which will determine whether any slots are available.
But the proposed games come at the end of a busy domestic season and just before the start of the Club World Cup, which Chelsea, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid are due to play in.
That means England stars such as Kane, Bellingham, John Stones, Foden, Jack Grealish, Kyle Walker, Levi Colwill, Palmer and Conor Gallagher could face incredibly punishing schedules.
The Premier League season will finish on May 25 with the England friendlies in the US potentially being played between then and the start of the Club World Cup which is being staged between June 15 and July 13.
‘Very demanding schedule for players’
Players have already threatened to go on strike over the congested calendar, while Tuchel previously complained about the number of international games when he was a club coach.
Some of those old complaints were put to Tuchel at his unveiling as England manager this week and he responded by saying: “Good one. Now it’s not enough, we need more matches!
“We will not have a lot of time. If you look at the schedule, and we hear the voices of the players and I think they have a reason [to complain]. The schedule, to end the season with the Champions League final, then go to an international break, then have the Club World Cup is a very, very demanding schedule for the players. And now it’s a new perspective for me. I’m glad to have it. It will help me to become a better coach.
“We will take this into account when we do our nomination [call ups] to not overload the players. But also respect our target to build the strongest group possible to go to America (for the World Cup).”
England’s new number two Anthony Barry is expected to continue as Portugal’s assistant manager for their two Nations League games in November – while the FA wait for him and Tuchel to start work.
Barry will be Tuchel’s assistant when the German officially starts as the permanent England manager on January 1, but in the meantime, he has not yet stepped down from his role as Portugal assistant manager.
That means that Barry is scheduled to assist Portugal manager Roberto Martinez for Portugal’s Nations League games at home to Poland and away against Croatia, while England will be managed by interim head coach Lee Carsley again in November.
The FA and Tuchel defended their decision for him to delay his start until January 1, and England are now in the highly unusual position of their incoming assistant manager coaching a rival national team before his official start date.
Portugal, under Martinez and Barry, are top of Nations League A Group One, while England are second in League B Group Two after losing to Greece, who they face in Athens next month.
Where England finish in the Nations League could impact their World Cup qualifying seeding and schedule.
