England manager Thomas Tuchel has no plans on rotating his team despite a demanding run of UEFA Nations League fixtures.
England face the Czech Republic in Prague on Tuesday, just three days after their defeat by 2026 FIFA World Cup holders Spain. They will then play Croatia before meeting the Czechs again on October 6.
The busy schedule has raised questions over whether players who had limited rest during the European summer should be given a break. Tuchel, however, has no intention of managing his squad around individual players’ minutes.
“I cannot manage the minutes of the players. It’s just impossible,” Tuchel said.
“Why would I do this and start giving the players the impression that it’s OK to take a step back or share a half or to rest one match? I would never. It’s madness.”
Tuchel also dismissed the idea of Premier League managers contacting him to ask for their players to be rested.
“I don’t take calls from Premier League managers. I never called any national team coach when I was in club football,” he said.
Instead, the England manager wants his key players to embrace the responsibility of playing regularly during the international window.
“An ideal scenario would be to go again and go again and go again, with six or seven players minimum that start again – to put the responsibility on them and for them to feel the trust,” Tuchel said.
England’s approach in Prague is therefore unlikely to be conservative. Tuchel wants his side to take control of the game rather than protect tired legs.
“We need to be proactive,” he said.
“There is no room for managing or an economic style. It’s how the team want to play, how we want to play, so let’s go.”
