Thomas Tuchel & FA blamed by Premier League clubs for mass England withdrawals due to delayed job start

With Tuchel's official start as England's head coach set for January 1, Lee Carsley has had to step into a complex scenario as interim manager for this Nations League window. Arsenal's Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, Manchester City stars Phil Foden and Jack Grealish, Chelsea’s Cole Palmer and Levi Colwill, Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Southampton’s Aaron Ramsdale have all withdrawn from the squad for upcoming games against Greece and the Republic of Ireland.

According to The Telegraph, insiders from several Premier League clubs believe that the delay in Tuchel's official takeover has unintentionally led to the unusually high number of withdrawals for these Nations League fixtures. Some even believe that more potential withdrawals could take place after Thursday night’s match against Greece.

The Telegraph quoted a source, saying: "I’d guess that at least half of those players would still be with the squad if Thomas Tuchel was in charge for these games. That’s not to say they don’t have injuries or issues, but players aren’t going to take any risks when they know the current manager won’t be there after this break. Players are physically and mentally tired, and many of them, and their clubs, see this as the only opportunity for a break before a run of a lot of games packed into a short space of time. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see more withdrawals after the first game against Greece."

The FA has responded to criticism over Tuchel’s January start date, explaining that this timeline was intentional, allowing him to fully concentrate on long-term objectives, specifically the 2026 World Cup. Moreover, they insisted that the plan for Carsley to lead the team through three camps until the end of the year was a strategic decision, ensuring a smooth transition into Tuchel’s tenure.