Thomas Tuchel wants to carry on as England manager. The FA want him to continue. They can try and portray it as part of a journey. His contract lasts for another two years and a home European Championships could always be more winnable than a World Cup on the other side of the Atlantic. In 2028, England need not fear defeat to Argentina.
But it was not merely the semi-final setback in Atlanta that underlined the need for England to be different in two years’ time. Tuchel’s Plan B – retreat and hang on for dear life – backfired against Argentina, but his broader style of play may require refining. If Spain win the World Cup, it will underline the sense that possession matters. England’s share in this tournament – 54 per cent – is far lower than Spain’s 63.
Yet it is also notable that Tuchel began with an 18-month contract; perhaps that brought a short-termism. It was shown in the emblematic selections of Dan Burn and Jordan Henderson. Much as the Newcastle vice-captain became a cult hero with a couple of cameos, surely each cannot be in the squad in a summer when the midfielder turns 38 and the defender 36. Although if Tuchel wants a Bellingham whisperer and a very large north-eastern object at the back, he could always pick Denise Bellingham and the Angel of the North.
But if Henderson and Burn were taken to the United States as squad players, there could be issues with the ageing in the starting 11. Harry Kane will turn 35 soon after Euro 2028. He will not disappear into international retirement yet; indeed, he could get his 100th England goal in the next tournament. Yet if the lack of a natural successor is one concern, so could be the possibility that this World Cup was the time to win something when Kane and the much younger Jude Bellingham were both near their respective peaks.
It might prove the last chance to win something with one of England’s greatest defenders. Over the last five tournaments, they have been fortunate John Stones has tended to be fit when it mattered. Stones is now 32 and club-less; he spent some of this World Cup on the bench. England will probably be down to two constants from 2018 to 2028: Kane and Jordan Pickford.
If Tuchel did not look beyond this World Cup, in a way it liberated him to be bold in omitting players. It nevertheless means he may need to rebuild bridges if he is to recall and reintegrate Cole Palmer, Phil Foden and Trent Alexander-Arnold. The galaxy of No 10s means tough decisions continue there; the ridiculousness of the right-back situation and the suspicion Reece James will be injured again mean that, even when Tino Livramento is fit, there is no excuse for ignoring Alexander-Arnold.
But if there are reasons for Tuchel to be less stubborn, there are players who offer the potential for change. A back-up central midfield double act of a veteran taken for his off-pitch influence and who then broke his wrist falling over an advertising hoarding, plus Kobbie Mainoo, who was not given a minute on the pitch, did not work.
Whether Mainoo, Adam Wharton or Alex Scott, Tuchel has to look to the next generation to find some deputies or alternatives to Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson. Two Bellinghams could enter the mix: Jobe, if he kicks on, and Jude, if he drops deeper and one of Morgan Rogers, Morgan Gibbs-White, Palmer or Foden plays as the No 10; it may be unfair to Eberechi Eze to omit him from that list, the Arsenal man felt a case of Tuchel picking his players, rather than the greater talents.
Levi Colwill might have been someone who came into both categories, until injury ruled him out of most of the season. The Chelsea man may be primed for a return; if, Stones and Marc Guehi aside, England are short of ball-playing centre-backs, the left-footer could form part of the future.
The left-back spot should occupy some of Tuchel’s thoughts. Djed Spence became one of his successes, partly for his pace; yet rewind to the start of his reign and the very different Myles Lewis-Skelly was his choice. Now there is the question if Lewis-Skelly plays for Arsenal, and if it is in midfield, if Nico O’Reilly plays for Enzo Maresca at Manchester City, and if it is in midfield, if Tuchel picks right-footers, such as Spence or Livramento. He could do worse than recalling Lewis Hall, a left-footer who should get plenty of games at left-back for Newcastle.
England can be blessed with a production line of attacking talent in some positions, if not among emerging centre-forwards (Kane’s understudies Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney are both in their thirties). Rio Ngumoha’s encouraging debut in the friendly against New Zealand suggested he could be fast-tracked for more opportunities. Max Dowman is still younger. Ethan Nwaneri, who has been leapfrogged by another Arsenal prodigy, could be another to come into contention, even if Anthony Gordon and Bukayo Saka, in particular, should be prominent in the plans and, after looking for wingers who operated nearer the touchline, it will be intriguing if Rogers and Palmer are allowed to operate as nominal wide men who come infield more.
Beyond the personnel and the tactical, however, part of the issue for 2028 is the psychological. Players such as Kane and Guehi are diplomatic but still queried the approach after England led Argentina. In turn, that reflected on Tuchel. And he will be charged with galvanising the group in 2028 and the continuity needs to be combined with some change.
Squad for 2028? Jordan Pickford, Dean Henderson, James Trafford; Reece James, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Tino Livramento, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Lewis Hall, Marc Guehi, Ezri Konsa, Jarell Quansah, Levi Colwill; Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson, Alex Scott, Adam Wharton; Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer, Morgan Gibbs-White, Morgan Rogers, Anthony Gordon, Bukayo Saka, Rio Ngumoha, Marcus Rashford; Harry Kane, Liam Delap.
