Thomas Tuchel is preparing for England's World Cup qualifier. (Image: Getty Images)
Thomas Tuchel has informed Chelsea and Manchester City that he will not be resting any of their players for the upcoming England matches, despite them set to compete at the Club World Cup in the next few weeks. The Three Lions boss has also issued a stern message to the squad as they face Andorra in their World Cup qualifier in Barcelona tonight, insisting that nothing less than a dominant victory will do.
The national side, playing against Koldo Alvarez's squad who rank at 153rd globally – barely pipping Nepal – are expected to breeze through. However, Tuchel is adamant that there's no room for complacency and expects his English players to deliver a top-notch performance.
Demanding excellence on the pitch, the German coach has set clear expectations: "This is the next opportunity for us to play together, and to show some principles of the game. To show togetherness, a hunger, and excitement. It's always about the next opportunity.
"The next match is the one we focus on, so we have prepared the team and of course, it takes a special approach to be such heavy favourites."
He underscored the demands he's placed on his squad: "To accept the role and live up to it. To do what's necessary. We demand a win and we demand a convincing win, one without doubts, this is what we demand. If you really demand this from yourself, then it comes with responsibility and professionalism."
Lastly, Tuchel expressed satisfaction at the committed attitude demonstrated by the England players during training in Spain. He stated: "It's what I felt during this week. It comes down to yourself, to show you're happy to be here, committed to what we are trying to build.
Thomas Tuchel during England training. (Image: Getty Images)
"This is exactly what I feel from the players. If the question is, 'did I get any signals about if we didn't train so well, but still you can play without taking it serious,' then absolutely not."
The team's strategy is clear: "We will put the team on the field that deserves to play, and is the right fit for this match. We expect a lot of ball possession, and we expect a lot of minutes in the opponent's half. We want to suffocate the opponent in their half.
"We don't want to have an open match against them. We need to find solutions. That's the target, and for that we need quality, focus and hunger. That's what we feel in the camp at the moment."
Tuchel has also made it clear to his England players that he won't be giving them any special treatment, despite the long and demanding season they've had.
With some players set to participate in the Club World Cup in the United States in less than two weeks, Tuchel is not considering resting certain individuals - and no club managers have requested him to do so.
He reiterated: "No one has asked me that question. I said also many times, I was like 15 years I think in club football, I think I have never asked an international coach what to do and how to use the players.
"We have very limited time for ourselves. We have our very own interest also to see a lot of the players that are in camp - and maybe even all of the players that are in camp - so we have an own interest to mix the teams.
"But no coach has called me and there was no request from the FA that a club called."