England got off to a winning start at the World Cup.
The Three Lions beat Croatia 4-2 on Wednesday evening with an emphatic second-half performance capping a solid win.
This was Thomas Tuchel’s first game at an international tournament as England manager.
Indeed, For the first time in 10 years, England are at a tournament managed by a man other than Gareth Southgate.
There have been some doubts over Tuchel heading into this tournament, but speaking on England’s YouTube channel, Declan Rice has hailed the German.
How many points are England going to finish the group with after that win vs Croatia?
Who is most likely to join us if we get through?
Declan Rice hails Thomas Tuchel
Rice was asked to share his verdict on Tuchel as a manager.
The Arsenal star was quick to praise the England boss, claiming that one aspect of his coaching is ‘incredible’ – his man management.
“I think he’s top. How he makes you feel I had a specific like meeting with him and I come out of it feeling like 10 feet tall. Like he just he gives you that that love, that energy. His man managing is incredible. Like you said, and like around the place like you could catch him playing table tennis with like a player or like a game of pool against someone. He’s just always interacting with people,” Rice said.
It’s great to hear Rice praising Tuchel’s man management ability, as, at international tournaments, that’s often the most important thing.
Tactics are obviously key, but when you’re boiling things down to a seven or eight game tournament, it’s all about momentum, morale and form.
Tuchel knows how to make his players feel like they are on top of the world, and that should bode well for England this summer.
After one game, England look in a great position to go on and qualify for the knockout stages, and after such an impressive first showing, who knows how far they can go?
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