Thomas Tuchel said he will not engage with the “blame game” after England’s World Cup exit and would “never” let a change in public opinion cause him to walk away from the job.
But the German has come in for criticism for the substitutions he made and the tactical approach of his team once they took the lead in Wednesday’s World Cup semi-final defeat to Atlanta.
Anthony Gordon’s goal gave England a 55th-minute lead at Atlanta Stadium, but England’s immediate retreat and defensive instincts were punished as Argentina levelled with five minutes to play and then won the game 2-1 in stoppage time to secure passage to Sunday’s final at England’s expense.
Supporters were left frustrated that Tuchel, hired to get England over the line, was unable to deliver silverware at his first tournament with England.
He has even come in for criticism from US president Donald Trump, who questioned why he had made captain Harry Kane — who the president has played golf against — a “defensive player” after Gordon’s goal.
Tuchel, asked about this, snapped: “Do you use Donald Trump as your witness for the case, or? I was just asking.”
Asked who must take responsibility for failure to reach the final when leading on 85 minutes, Tuchel replied: “I take responsibility. If it's easier if someone takes the blame, I take the blame. It's not a problem.
“If this is the deal that you sign up for, as I understand it, and you have every right to do so. But I will not engage. I will not engage in this kind of game. Because for me, there is no one to blame. If you need someone to blame, I take the responsibility.
“And the head coach, like I said, we make in-game decisions based on trust, on our competitiveness, on the experience, and on what we actually feel and how we feel in the game. And then from there we go. If drama is needed, if the playing game needs to be played, okay, we can do that.”
Tuchel appeared to question the suggestion that public opinion has now split on whether he should lead England into Euro 2028.
When asked whether a shift in public opinion could force his hand, he replied resolutely: “No, this could never change my thinking of if I would like to carry on.”
