England’s World Cup squad has been revealed ahead of the final weekend of the Premier League season, with Thomas Tuchel grasping some thorny selection dilemmas.
Meanwhile in Manchester there was major managerial news for both sides of the city, Pep Guardiola confirming his exit from the Etihad Stadium on the same day that Michael Carrick was handed the keys to Old Trafford.
With Tottenham and West Ham bidding to avoid the final relegation place on Sunday, Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi was forced to field questions about his absent skipper, Cristian Romero.
Tuchel stands firm behind England ‘specialists’
England manager Thomas Tuchel ignited fierce debate after announcing a World Cup squad missing a handful of big names in favour of ‘specialists’.
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Tuchel had bad news for Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Harry Maguire, Adam Wharton, Morgan Gibbs-White and Luke Shaw as he revealed his chosen 26 at Wembley. But there were calls for the likes of Ivan Toney, Djed Spence, Dan Burn and Jordan Henderson.
The selection generated plenty of heated opinion from experts, pundits and fans but the German defended his picks, while acknowledging some of the most gifted individuals had been overlooked.
“From day one we were very clear that we were trying to select and build the best possible team, which is not necessarily to select and collect the 26 most talented players,” he said.
“Teams win championships, it’s as simple as that. We have specialists with us. Specialists for all kinds of different scenarios: when we’re leading, when we’re chasing a game.
“We have to leave some extraordinary talents, some extraordinary personalities, at home. If we would have picked all these names, some other big five names would have been out.”
Pep exit paves the way for ‘new energy’ at City
Manchester City are just a day away from bidding farewell to Pep Guardiola, with the Premier League great insisting the club are ready for change after a trophy-laden decade.
The news that Guardiola will leave after the clash against Aston Villa was no surprise given the mounting speculation around the Catalonian, who says he is ready to take a break from coaching while City require fresh ideas.
The 55-year-old, who won 20 trophies in a glittering decade at the Etihad Stadium, will lead his side in front of the revamped and renamed Pep Guardiola Stand for the first and last time.
“I’m really satisfied, happy and proud,” Guardiola said at a press conference. “It has been the experience of my life.
“I’m leaving with an incredible sense of peace in my soul that I gave everything for this club. Ten years is a lot of time and I think the club needs a new manager, new energy, with these incredible players that we have right now. It’s time to write another chapter.
“I feel I would not have the energy that’s required every three days, with expectations to fight for titles. It’s the time. I think it’s not good in an organisation to have people for many, many years.
“It’s good to shake, to move, new faces. It’s really good for everyone.”
Carry on Carrick
Across town, Manchester United already know who will lead them next season after making Michael Carrick’s temporary stay permanent.
Originally appointed until the end of the season after Ruben Amorim’s sacking, the former Red Devils midfielder has made the job his own with a major improvement in results and morale.
He has now signed a two-year contract as head coach, giving him the chance to become the first person to win the Premier League as player and manager.
“I’d take that right now! That’s the goal and I’ve got to believe it,” Carrick said. “That’s what we’ve got to aim for. It’s where we want to be as a club.
“It’s not so much for me. It’d be an incredible thing for me to do. But just to see this club lifting trophies and winning leagues and challenging for Champions Leagues, that’s the buzz.
“I know what it takes and hopefully I can give that experience a little bit to the players and they can feed off it and we can keep pushing for more.”
De Zerbi acknowledges fan fury over absent skipper
Roberto De Zerbi said he “100 per cent” understood the anger of Tottenham fans who feel let down by the prospect of injured captain Cristian Romero missing Sunday’s relegation decider with Everton.
Romero has sparked controversy by flying to Argentina days before Spurs host Everton on an afternoon where the north London club could lose their top-flight status for the first time in 49 years if they suffer defeat and 18th-placed West Ham beat Leeds.
De Zerbi, who confirmed that Romero is back at boyhood club Belgrano to continue his rehabilitation from a knee injury ahead of the World Cup, said: “100 per cent, I understand (the frustration).
“(Romero) spoke with the medical staff and together they decided to go to Argentina to complete the rehab with Argentinian medical staff. I want to be clear, I am not stupid. If I understand there is any player who thinks for himself before the club, I can’t be the same Roberto.
“But with Cuti Romero, I can’t say anything because with me, in my time, he has been correct from the beginning until now. The decision was with the medical staff and I think he can’t change anything if Romero is at the stadium or not.”
What’s on today?
After the drama of the Spygate saga, the Sky Bet Championship play-off final will finally take place as Hull take on a Middlesbrough side who previously thought their season was over. Premier League status and guaranteed riches of at least £200million await the winner at Wembley.
In Scotland, Martin O’Neill has the chance to complete a remarkable double with Celtic. Having taken the SPL title, the Hoops face former club favourite Neil Lennon and his Dunfermline side at Hampden Park.
In women’s football Leicester and Charlton go head to head in the WSL’s first play-off, with the Foxes looking to protect their position in next year’s expanded 14-team division.