Thomas Tuchel, England’s head coach, has urged Jude Bellingham to show more discipline on the field.
Tuchel has recognized Bellingham as a vital player for England but believes the young midfielder needs to exercise more control in his game.
According to Tuchel, Bellingham possesses natural leadership qualities, but he could maximize his effectiveness by playing with greater structure and efficiency. The coach pointed out that Bellingham is often highly emotional during matches, particularly in his interactions with referees.
Tuchel aims to help him manage these emotions constructively so they positively influence the team’s overall performance.
“Yes. He is always ready to give everything, but we need to help him so that within a structure he can play more economically and still have the same impact, or maybe even more impact,” Tuchel stated.
“We need to make sure that the leaders, and he is one of the leaders, and the main players, the key players, walk in the same direction and play in the same rhythm and help each other out. And play a little more disciplined maybe, to save some energy for the decisive moments.”
The England boss emphasized the need for Bellingham and other key players to synchronize their efforts and maintain a cohesive playing style.
Bellingham has previously faced disciplinary issues, including receiving a red card in La Liga and a fine for remarks he made while playing in Germany.
“He (Bellingham) loves to talk to the referee and the linesmen,” Tuchel noted. “He’s a very emotional player once he’s on the pitch, and I think you just see that he hates to lose and does everything that it takes. He expresses himself. You see the hunger and the desire to win.”
“I think he will keep this hunger and learn to channel the emotions a little bit. That’s never a problem. It’s good to have him as he is. We will try to make the most out of it because he is a key player.”
Tuchel secured his first victory as England’s head coach on Friday, leading the team to a 2-0 win over Albania. During the match, Bellingham assisted Myles Lewis-Skelly in scoring his debut goal for the Three Lions.
England will now host Latvia at Wembley for their second World Cup qualifying match, aiming to secure consecutive wins under Tuchel’s leadership.
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