Thomas Tuchel has apologised for the upset caused by describing Jude Bellingham’s behaviour as “repulsive”, and says he said sorry to the England star after realising he had used the wrong word.
Speaking live on radio the morning after England were stunned 3-1 by Senegal in a friendly in Nottingham in June, Tuchel was asked about Bellingham’s temperament after the Real Madrid star was seen booting a drinks cooler in frustration after the final whistle at the City Ground.
Tuchel said: “Sometimes you see the rage [of Bellingham], you see the hunger and the rage and the fire, and it comes out in a way that can be a bit repulsive, for example, for my mother, when she sits in front of the TV. I see that.”
But Tuchel distanced himself from use of the word “repulsive” when speaking to the media on Friday, after naming his squad for upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia. Bellingham will miss both matches after undergoing shoulder surgery last month.
Issuing an apology, Tuchel said: “I did this unintentionally. I used this word unintentionally, just to make it very clear. There was no message, no hidden agenda.
“I fully understood and understand that it is my responsibility that I created these headlines. I am sorry for the upset and for the headlines I created. I am experienced enough, I should have known better. I should have done better.”
Tuchel added: “I thought I would have had a little bit more credit, maybe, with you guys that I do all this in my second language. I did it on the morning after a loss, with not a lot of sleep. I did it on a live interview. I used the wrong word.
“It’s my responsibility — I didn’t want to use this word. I created the upset, but not more than that.”
Pushed on whether he contacted Bellingham to apologise, Tuchel replied: “Of course, I straightaway made contact with him. I got in touch with him straightaway. Jude focuses now on his process of rehabilitation, and we focus on Andorra and Serbia.”
