Bellingham facing fight to get back into England team

LONDON — Jude Bellingham might have to wait to get back in the England team, with coach Thomas Tuchel saying Wednesday he is in no rush to change his system to accommodate the return of the Real Madrid star.

Since Bellingham last played for England — in a 3-1 loss to Senegal in a friendly in June — Morgan Rogers has been installed in the No 10 role and starred in recent 5-0 wins over Serbia and Latvia that helped to clinch a spot at next year's World Cup finals.

Bellingham is back in the squad after fully recovering from shoulder surgery and Tuchel sees him as a No 10, placing him direct competition with Rogers.

"They are friends, so this can also be a friendly competition," Tuchel said at a news conference ahead of England's home game against Serbia in World Cup qualifying on Thursday. "You don't have to be enemies, you don't have to hate each other. They are respectful, they are friends with each other, and, at the moment, they are fighting for the same position.

"Can they play together? Yes, but in a different structure, and maybe it's not the right time to change our structure."

Working against Bellingham is the fact that he and Phil Foden, another attacking midfielder who has regained a place in the squad, haven't taken part in a full training session so far this week, Tuchel said. That was due to happen Wednesday.

Add Chelsea playmaker Cole Palmer, who is currently sidelined by a groin injury, into the mix, and England has an enviable array of attacking options in midfield.

Tuchel, however, said he won't try to cram all of his star players into the same team, as some previous managers have tried to do, with little success.

"Not because we don't like (them), not because they don't individually deserve it, but we will always do what's best for the team," Tuchel told British radio station talkSPORT.

"We will always do what's best to win, we will always do what's best for balance, and we will try to keep the clarity, even if it means that we have to make tough decisions."

England became the first European nation to qualify for the World Cup last month, so the pressure is off Tuchel and the team heading into upcoming games against Serbia and Albania that will wrap up group play.

The German coach said he isn't thinking ahead to next year's tournament just yet.

"So much can happen," he said. "Nobody wants injuries to happen, but injuries can happen, players can pull out, drop in form, other players can come into form, so I'm keeping a very open mind.

"That's why I don't feel the pressure, I don't feel the World Cup urge at the moment."

Tuchel also said the time for experimentation is over, as he prepares his squad for their final two World Cup qualifiers.

With a 100 percent record from six games in Group K, 18 goals scored and none conceded, England has breezed into next year's finals in North America where it will be among the favorites.

However, the German said there is no chance of trying out anything radically different at home to Serbia at Wembley on Thursday, or in Tirana against Albania on Sunday — England's last competitive matches before he names his World Cup squad.

"Do you feel I was experimenting in the last matches?" Tuchel said. "We try to adapt, but I didn't feel we were experimenting in the last two camps, and we will not start in this camp.

"We take it seriously, these are World Cup qualifiers — at home. We want to build on what we've built and keep on going."

Agencies