England manager Thomas Tuchel is planning a radical tactical approach for next year's World Cup, borrowing a strategy directly from rugby union to combat the tournament's extreme conditions.
The 'Pom Squad' Strategy
Tuchel confirmed England will implement what's known as a 'Pom squad' - a rugby term where coaches make multiple late attacking substitutions to secure victory. This approach will be crucial during next summer's tournament across the United States, Mexico and Canada, where matches could be played in 40-degree heat.
The German manager emphasised that no team will be able to rely on the same starting eleven throughout the entire competition. He gave a preview of this strategy during England's 2-0 win over Serbia at Wembley on Thursday, bringing on Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Eberechi Eze in the closing stages.
Managing Premier League Fatigue
Tuchel believes the ability to introduce fast, fresh forwards to decide matches will be even more critical next year. The key to success might depend more on the finishers than the starters, he suggested.
This approach presents particular challenges with England's squad, as many players complete gruelling Premier League seasons. Tuchel has already warned that Harry Kane, Bellingham and Foden cannot all start together in his current formation and system.
The manager faces difficult selection decisions with emerging talents like Eberechi Eze, Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer also competing for spots. He recently had to inform Bournemouth's Alex Scott that he wasn't in the match day squad against Serbia, describing the conversation as giving him 'stomach pain'.
Clarity of Roles Essential
Tuchel acknowledges that asking club stars to accept bench roles with England represents a significant challenge. 'They come with England because they are regularly picked, they come because they are captains and key players in their club team,' he explained.
However, he insists that role clarity becomes essential during tournament football. 'Once we go to a tournament, I think clarity in the role is very important. The better player can also think about it and be honest: 'Can I accept this, is it good for me, can I make the most of this for the team?''
While FIFA hasn't confirmed squad sizes, the tournament will likely feature 26-player squads due to the expanded 48-team format and challenging conditions. Tuchel welcomes discussions about possibly increasing the number of substitution slots available to managers.
England's World Cup campaign begins next summer with the manager clearly planning to think 'outside the box' to overcome the unique challenges presented by North American conditions and player fatigue from domestic competitions.
