Phil Foden and Marcus Rashford get final Thomas Tuchel chance then ‘see ya later’
Thomas Tuchel will imminently make some cut-throat decisions as Phil Foden and Marcus Rashford struggle to impress for England, Paul Merson has claimed.
The German’s first game in charge ended in victory, beating Albania 2-0 on Friday 21 March, but after promising an exciting style of football, many at Wembley Stadium were left disappointed.
Myles Lewis-Skelly was a standout for England, so too were Declan Rice and Harry Kane, but it was the opposing flanks that caused the most concern for the Three Lions on the night.
Foden and Rashford were both hooked with 15 minutes still left to play, even only with a one-goal advantage and Albania pushing for an equaliser, being replaced by Anthony Gordon and Jarrod Bowen.
With England set to face Latvia on Monday 24 March, and expected to win by a landslide, Merson believes this could be a final opportunity for the duo to prove themselves worthy of getting on the plane for the 2026 World Cup.
Phil Foden and Marcus Rashford may miss out on World Cup 2026
Speaking via Sky Sports’ News [22 March], Merson said: “With what he [Thomas Tuchel] said about Foden and Rashford, I don’t think they’ve got too many more chances. They’ll probably play this next game. He’ll think, ‘I’ve had a little go at them, let’s see how they respond’.
“If they don’t perform in this one, I think he’ll go, ‘See ya later’. Wherever he’s been, he hasn’t been there very long because he doesn’t care about upsetting people. By the time everyone’s had enough of him, he’s gone. That’s what England need.”
Thomas Tuchel has one shot at England success before another change in manager
Football Insider verdict
Tuchel has only been given 18 months, or just a handful of training camps, to prove himself the final piece of the puzzle to lead the Three Lions to glory for the first time since 1966.
Newcastle United’s Eddie Howe has already been tipped for the England job should Tuchel be unable to deliver his promise next summer, which would be devastating for those at St James’ Park.
| Phil Foden v England v Albania | Marcus Rashford v Albania |
| 74 minutes played | 74 minutes played |
| 91% pass completion | 85% pass completion |
| 0 chances completed | 1 big chance created |
| 0 successful dribbles | Dispossessed twice |
| 0 tackles won | 0 tackles won |
Tuchel has already proven that he is ready to make some tough decisions, especially having raised a lot of eyebrows after calling up Jordan Henderson to the England squad.
While Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White was originally left out, the right decision was finally made after Cole Palmer was forced to drop out due to an injury.
With months left until the World Cup kicks off in America, Canada and Mexico, there is plenty of time remaining for Tuchel to find suitable replacements for Foden or Rashford, or both.