Harry Kane has insisted England's players are fully behind manager Thomas Tuchel even after their World Cup heartbreak, as fans voiced their frustration by booing the German coach before the third-place play-off against France. Kane said Tuchel's "enthusiasm and tactical experience" can carry England forward, though the captain admitted the squad is still in the "grieving stage" following their semi-final defeat to Argentina.
Tuchel's name booed by fans
Tuchel's name was booed when announced over the PA system before England's entertaining 6-4 win against France to clinch third place. Kane acknowledged the fans' right to be "sad and angry" but stressed that the players remain united behind the manager. "When something like this happens it's very emotional – and rightly so," Kane said. "We've all been England fans when we wished we'd done this or that and it didn't quite happen. That will die down naturally."
Kane: Tuchel gave the country belief
England's third-place finish is their best on foreign soil in 60 years, but Kane said the disappointment is harder to swallow because Tuchel allowed them to dream. "The enthusiasm he has, the emotion he brings, the tactical experience he has. It doesn't mean you're going to get it right every time," Kane said. "He not only gave the players belief but he gave the country belief that it was our year. That is why it hurts even more than other years because everyone believed we were going all the way."
Grieving stage and future plans
Kane revealed the squad is still processing the semi-final loss. "We're still in that grieving stage, the emotional stage, and we'll be in that for the next few weeks," he said. "It won't be until the next camp where you think about what the future holds and what the next target is. We'll have conversations as captain and manager and with other teammates and staff, to see where we can be better."
Tuchel accepts criticism
Kane noted that Tuchel understands the scrutiny that comes with the England job. "When you take the job of England manager, he knows that if it doesn't go the way we want it then he's going to take some stick," Kane said. "That is part and parcel of the job." He added that Tuchel will learn from his first major tournament, saying, "He'll learn a lot from the players, the situations, the pressures, the travel."
Positive takeaways
Despite the disappointment, Kane highlighted the positives. "We had a lot of good things, a lot of tough situations we overcame. The group is incredible, the best England group I've been a part of in terms of togetherness. The boss was a big part of creating that as well," he said. England finished third after beating France 6-4, securing their best World Cup result on foreign soil since 1966.
