Manager learned at PSG to ignore star power in pursuit of a winning formula that prioritises brotherhood
Thomas Tuchel once stood on the touchline at Anfield, watching in disbelief as his self-indulgent Paris Saint-Germain players refused to put in the hard yards against Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool. “Guys, what is this?” he said, but there was never going to be a reaction from individuals with too much power and not enough respect for the basic concepts of teamwork.
Intensity? Tracking back? Not for us, thanks. Too many wanted to do their own thing and it ground Tuchel down in the end. The German is a coach who wants structure, identity, sacrifice and energy. At PSG, though, he saw how individualism can bring a dressing room down. How could Tuchel make his mark when he had players who would moan if a teammate looked at them the wrong way?
Written by Jacob Steinberg
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/oct/10/thomas-tuchel-england-world-cup-jude-bellingham-psg-bayern-chelsea under the title “Bellingham must accept Tuchel’s collective structure or risk England exile | Jacob Steinberg”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
