England manager Thomas Tuchel has revealed that Phil Foden’s loss of form at Manchester City left him unsure of the midfielder's best position, contributing to his omission from the World Cup squad. The German said it “hurt me a lot” to leave the 25-year-old out of the tournament.
Foden has struggled for consistency this season at club level, with only brief flashes of his earlier brilliance. Tuchel noted that the forward was “excellent” in camp previously, both in training and in mood, but that recent performances were lacking “evidence”.
“I was not even sure in the end what position his position is,” Tuchel told Talksport. “Is it a 10? Is it a false nine? Is it maybe more a Bernardo Silva role as a number eight? It is maybe not on the wing anymore.”
The manager added that he did not want to bring players just to play them out of position, as that would make them uncomfortable and unhappy. The decision affected Foden deeply, and Tuchel could see in his reaction how much the squad place meant to him.
