Thomas Tuchel Seeks Jude Bellingham's Aggression So Long As England's Star Leaves His Ego at the Door.

One snub was enough. A second one and it would have started to look vindictive from the England manager, a coach who is far too wily not to realize that winning the World Cup is probably going to require the involvement of the talented midfielder, even if it is also on the midfielder to blend into the tactical structures and player rankings essential with England now that he is back in the manager's warm embrace.

The manager wants his aggressive mentality, his fire, but it is a matter of harnessing it in the right way. Individual quality counts but England know from bitter experience that there is a cost when fame prevails. Nevertheless, a statement has been delivered.

The midfielder had plenty to reflect on after his omission of the previous squad. He watched England secure their spot at the tournament in his absence. He saw the young talent shine as a high-pressing No 10. He heard the coach discuss valuing the squad's spirit and values. Naturally, Bellingham has responded in top form, netting important strikes for Real Madrid versus their rivals and the Italian side. His selection was inevitable; a second snub would have put his tournament chances hanging by a thread.

The expectation is that Tuchel will have a Bellingham focused on intimidating opponents rather than his own colleagues. After all, on a pure footballing level, there is no value to starting a conflict with one of the best players in the world. The ideal scenario is that Bellingham’s time on the sidelines has demonstrated that an international career is a precious, precarious thing. The coach, for his part, can now throw a protective shield for the 22-year-old after showing that he is not afraid to take tough decisions.

“There is no problem regarding him, there is no problem about his personality,” Tuchel said. “Jude just has a competitive streak. It takes that kind of fire to achieve greatness that he has. We all must help him and build an environment which he can channel his drive towards opponents and in pursuit of success we are striving for as a team.”

The star took up the spotlight at Tuchel’s squad announcement for the upcoming final group games versus Serbia and the other. Who else? Well, how about Phil Foden? This is another prodigious playmaker requiring coaching. Foden has been absent for England since spring and has struggled to perform well recently but the boss had to consider the player after how he played in Manchester City’s win versus Borussia Dortmund this week.

The question, however, is the best way to deploy the attacking talents at available. Morgan Rogers and Eze merit inclusion and there will be a good argument to pick Cole Palmer once he overcomes a ongoing injury. Is selecting five No 10s to the World Cup be an overkill? Gareth Southgate failed to discover the right blend at the European Championship. He compromised by squeezing Foden and Bellingham into the team, cramping Harry Kane’s game as a result.

It seems unlikely Tuchel making the same mistake if it disrupts the offensive structure. Space exists for a single playmaker, with fast wide players on the wings. Clear roles helps. He is selected as a No 10. Bournemouth’s Alex Scott, called up for the first occasion, is a central midfielder and the recalled Adam Wharton will compete with another player as a No 6. There will also be no position on the wing for the City star, who must play through the middle. Tuchel prefers him near the striker. “It does not make sense to tell Phil: ‘You are needed in the team but no spot exists in your preferred role, can you play the left side? Or the other flank?’” he stated. “Phil is to feature in the advanced midfield role, in the middle of the pitch. I've long had this vision about him for years. I think it matches his abilities best.”

He conceded there are occasions when Foden has seemed out of sorts in an England shirt. “You feel as if, ‘Does he like it?’ And a player like him who has such natural delight to play football, then obviously something is not right, whether it's the position, the setup, it's unclear.

“In my opinion he is also accustomed to playing for Man City in a specific system, with a defined role. Believe he profits a lot from clarity. Where do you want me to be? In which positions should I turn? Where am I supposed to accelerate the match? What are my to defensive duties?”

The manager discussed Bellingham making runs for tap-ins and Foden netting strikes from 18 yards. He added he has a longlist of 60 players. Several players, others, the goalkeeper and Ruben Loftus-Cheek have dropped out. A new face is recognized for his fine form for City at left-back. Interest abounds.

The omission of the striker means there is no like-for-like alternative for Kane in the selection. Interestingly, he hinted at using the playmaker as a false 9 against Serbia or the other. Anthony Gordon, the United forward, the midfielder and Jarrod Bowen are alternatives if Kane be absent. With qualification secured, this is a moment for a little experimentation.

Meanwhile, it is also a moment to get Kane’s relationship with his teammate going. It is remarkable that you have to go back to Bellingham assisting Kane to score in a friendly win versus the Scots in over a year ago to find the one and only time in many appearances for the national team when the pair linked up for a goal. Tuchel will know that Kane and Bellingham only passed to each other a single time during England’s draws with one opponent and another at the European Championship. Their partnership is missing.

“This is where eventually it becomes the responsibility of the players,” he stated. He is not afraid to be blunt. There is still a feeling of the player under scrutiny. He may not be assured to begin against Serbia and Albania. The manager desires Bellingham committed but he will be watching him closely. Set aside self-importance outside. Doing so could turn a powerful England team into an more effective one.