Sam Allardyce urges Harry Maguire to consider withdrawing from World Cup selection process after 'harsh' comments from England boss Thomas Tuchel

Former England manager Sam Allardyce has called on Harry Maguire to reconsider his international availability following what he perceived as "harsh" treatment from Thomas Tuchel.

Allardyce expressed his disappointment with how the veteran has been managed, telling Footy Accumulators: "It’s a bit harsh. Harry endured such a difficult time at Manchester United when the club tried to belittle him – especially the manager at the time. He’s lost his captaincy, his place in the England squad, and has been criticised so heavily in the last few years. He’s taken every criticism on the chin and is proving everyone wrong.

He added: "If I was in Harry’s position, I’d reconsider going with the camp at all. Perhaps to his own detriment, Harry has said that Tuchel’s comments would cause no problem and. It makes you wonder whether he’s too nice!"

The controversy stems from Tuchel’s candid assessment of his defensive options following England's recent 1-1 draw with Uruguay. While the German coach acknowledged that the Manchester United man provided "solid, solid central-defender play," he was brutally honest about where he ranks compared to younger, more mobile alternatives in the current squad.

The England head coach has admitted that Maguire remains firmly on the fringes of the team despite the veteran starting the friendly and taking the captain's armband in the second half. Tuchel explained his reasoning by stating: "I haven’t changed my mind, but I see other players I like to start for us, I see other players ahead with a different profile. I see Ezri Konsa ahead, I see Marc Guehi ahead. It’s no secret. I see Trevoh Chalobah on the level of mobility was slightly ahead of him. Also John Stones, but he had injuries, so he needed to come to camp."

Allardyce isn't the only high-profile figure to voice concern over Tuchel's transparency, with Rio Ferdinand claiming the comments were "insulting" to a player with 65 international caps.

"I think Harry Maguire will take that as an insult in some respect," Ferdinand said on his YouTube channel. "He will be sitting there and think, 'hold on a minute, I’m more than this.' In Tuchel’s eyes, he uses the word mobility. Other guys have more. I get what he’s saying. No one has to agree with it."

With the squad deadline looming, Tuchel has refused to offer any certainties regarding Maguire's inclusion in the final group traveling to the United States. While injuries to other defenders may force his hand, the manager remained non-committal when asked if the Manchester United man would be selected if the tournament started tomorrow.

"If, if, if. We don’t need to name the squad tomorrow. He did a good game. He did what he does for Man Utd. He did it straight away. I’m very happy with him. To be honest, I haven’t changed my mind. I got everything I expected from him. If I have to name it tomorrow, we have a lot of injuries, he could be in it. Who else would be there in the centre of defence?" Tuchel added.