Tuchel drops Branthwaite from England Squad

Rashford has had 6 games, mostly as sub, in the last 6 months. Henderson wasnt good enough 2 years ago and is brought back. Dan Burn, is he really better than Branthwaite.

From a very selfish angle, maybe Branthwaite not being in the squad means he won't be in the shop window as much as if he was selected. Bring back Carsley.

Burn and Henderson seem very strange choices seeing that they are only average players and both over 30.

Maybe Tuchel picked the wrong games to watch Branthwaite. He hasn't always looked as good as we know he is in a few games the last couple of months.

I actually think Branthwaite was playing better last season than he is at present, but we all think we know better than professional team managers.

Colwill, Konsa and Quansah are all decent players in good form playing for clubs having good seasons – and not just in the domestic league.

Branthwaite is very good. Better than Konsa and Quansah. Remains to be seen if he's better than Colwill who is also a very classy left-footed centre-back.

So you think the message to Branthwaite is: "You need to be playing for a higher profile club in order to be selected for England"?

So do you think this is the message that Tuchel is sending or you just feel this in general?

I listened to his fellow German, Jans Lehman the other week. Asked if he thought Tutchel would win anything with England, he said he didn't rate him and he doesn't believe he would be considered for the German national manager's job.

Quite unusual for an ex-player to be as scathing as Lehman was. But looking at Tutchel's first squad, I think Lehmans is right.

I imagine other clubs and players outside of the media darlings feel similar.

Come Saturday:

"You can stick your England squad up your arse, You can stick your England squad up your arse, You can stick your England squad, stick your England squad, stick your England squad up your arse, Sideways!"

Skinniest legs since Olive Oil.

I thought Tuchel knew something about football.

If this lot, then why no Garner? And if Henderson ,why not Young??? This is a joke squad!

With us, Alcaraz is a buy, JB is a keeper.

Moyes certainly adopts that approach; hence I remain dubious as to whether Alcaraz will start. I hope he does. He is a breath of fresh air and capable of being a game changer. He is also the player most likely to feed Beto the correct service.

'Sour grapes view' on his non-inclusion, he could get injured, as in any game, and be out for a considerable period.

Henderson… really? Rashford, Walker, Burn. Bizarre selections.

Giving Tuchel an 18-month contract could set English squad development back significantly.

However, this smacks of Capello's Euro 2010 mentality when he decided we needed "experience" and drafted in old timers like Carragher, Upson etc who couldn't make the team in their peak years. He even tried to get Scholes out of retirement and had a decrepit Beckham as a non-playing "leader."

Dunk aged 32 is in the squad because to quote Tuchel he is "really tall" and "we had a great phone call." Henderson playing in a sub par league also "had a great call."

Then you look at Spain and you have 16- and 17-year-olds picked on talent and they win the Euros. This dinosaur "good old boys" stuff has never worked and never will. The token youngsters are Skelley of Aresnal, who has been sent off three times in his 12-game career and Quansah. Both selected because of where they play versus how they play.

No accommodations for current form and inclusions of Forest players for example. Additonally, the English players in Germany and Italy aren't even considered but somehow the Saudi/Dutch league veteran is the top pick.

Tommy D scares me… He has the haunted sunken eye look of an amateur body dissectionist or Gordon Lee.

By comparison, Dan Burn is a spring chicken.

Strangely enough, seeing Burn getting his first cap brought to mind a player making his debut for England at 37 and he was better known for playing a different sport.

Get your thinking caps on and no cheating looking it up.

I just looked it up to make sure I was correct but I was wrong — he had turned 38 when he was picked.

I already inadvertently cheated. I just read about Mr Compton this morning. I'd heard the name before but never realized his age.

England are going backwards with Skeletor in charge.

Disappointed for the player, but pleased for Everton.

He's way above U21s now and quite honestly, that's an insult to him.

y the way I know you wouldn't cheat like me – you are a Catholic and cannot tell a lie!

Leslie was wicket-keeper for Middlesex not sure if he played for England at cricket, John Rafferty would know I think.

As for Branthwaite, it's better for us he's not picked, although we are safe and can coast to the end of the season.

I agree with others who have said he's not played as well this season.

You mentioned Quansah has been in good form this season, just looked at his stats in the Premier League this season, he started 2 games, 8 substitutions, in 3 of those games he came on in the 89th minute.

He got no game time in 19 league matches. How Tuchel can pick him ahead of Branthwaite is mind-blogging.

Every man and his dog know Branthwaite is a far better centre half than those two duffers he has called up, different manager same usual suspects, how Olly Watkins has not made the squad is a surprise for me.

Amazing talent. Not a liability at all. It will be especially good to see his reckless actions put to the test alongside slow lumbering veterans like Henderson and Dunk.

Cloadah Rogers ahead of Amy Winehouse.

I'm not quite sure how well Henderson fits the first category, but it's very clear that Tuchel isn't focused on anything but the next tournament.

Branthwaite is a victim of that. He won't be picked for his potential to be in that England back line for a decade, he'll be picked if he's ready right now. And I think European experience will be a factor in deciding that.

It's quite clear that that Quansah has been selected for 2 reasons:

1. He plays for media darlings the RS (another point I made earlier); and

2. In addition to a few minutes in the league, he has played matches in the Champions League this season against good opposition (Lille, PSV, PSG and Leverkusen) and performed pretty well.

Like Gomez before him, another unremarkable player, he'll end up getting lots more caps than he probably deserves for so long as he's playing for the RS.

More broadly, the squad is nothing like one I would have picked and it beggars belief that Henderson is included.

But to Kieran's comment that Spain picked 16- & 17-year-olds and won the Euros – I would say that, if we had a player of the quality of Yamal, he would be first pick. Yamal is an extraordinary player and athlete. Personally I'd have included Nwaneri in the squad but Tuchel has at least picked Lewis Skelly who I think is a cracking player even if a little reckless.

It is worth saying though that, en route to the recent tournament win, Spain also played a lot of games with 38-year-old Navas at right-back. It wasn't a team of youngsters by any stretch.

But you are right about the Tuchel appointment. Short term move. But not one that will necessarily bring success.

I think most England appointments are short-term, although "one-game" Big Sam will take some beating after him flirting with taking a backhander for imparting details to The Telegraph's undercover reporter.

It's not whether he took it, it was the intent and willingness to do it that makes him guilty.

Neither him nor Spit the Turncoat Carragher should have been re-employed in the sport again.

Jordan Henderson! Ditched two years ago for being crap. Quansah (nobody even knows his first name apart from his loved ones) and Big Dan Burn from Newcastle who is still a makeshift right back who excels as a sub centre-back occasionally.

Tuchel has done himself no favours with this squad, negativity everywhere. At least Lee Carsley had some balls. Lee will be remembered as a latter-day Joe Mercer.

This squad though smacks of Capello. Remember in 2010 he loaded up on “experienced old pros” with minimal England appearances like Carragher and Upson, even tried to talk Scholes out of retirement? Likewise Keegan in 2000 brought back Ince and 30 something Wise to bring experience to the squad? Each time it was a disaster. It’s one thing if you have an older player who’s the best in his position and still playing at a high level eg Young in 2018, Pirlo in 2006. But we can’t claim Hendo is playing at a high level
or has been since he left the RS.

The other thing that bothered me was Tuchel harping on about his great phone calls with these two old timers convincing him they were the men he needed. If talking a good game meant anything then Nicolas Bentner was Lionel Messi. Tarkowski is by all accounts a natural leader, positive role model and competent player but I don’t see even many Everton fans arguing those qualities should seem him selected for England but that’s about the extent of Tuchel reasoning.

If anything it makes him seem out of touch with the social media generation who
may lack such qualities but who are the majority of top players now. So figure out a way to engage with the under 25 crowd don’t just pick a few old blokes you might like to have a beer with.

I’m also perplexed that Tuchel like Southgate has ignored all the players in Italy and Germany playing for massive clubs in the CL without even feeling the need to comment on their exclusion. But Hendo playing at the same level as say Jack Butland of Rangers or whoever plays for Olympiakos these days is a shoe in.

Maybe but only because the bloated WC has so many teams.

I was just picking up on the age of the Spain squad that won the Euros. Yamal was young of course (and ridiculously good) but the Spain squad (25.9) overall was marginally older than the England squad (25).

Spain didn't win the tournament because they were brave with youth.

Obviously didn't make an impression in their 'phone calls.

Paul, that had me thinking about how poor some recent past England managers. The worst? Graham's "grafters" as Taylor's teams were often referred to. I don't think McClaren covered himself in glory, but again, "one game" bung Sam takes the mantle.

I see in his interview, Tuchel won't sing the national anthem until he wins a few games. In fairness, he is German, so as long as he respects it, I don't see an issue. Anyway, England doesn't have a national anthem as far as I'm concerned and use the UK one.

Tuchel should have picked the usual England Squad and watched them play.Not bring in Players he thinks can play, experienced Professionals.

Where does is go from there if it does not work out?

He is doing a good job by the way.The Pundits will have plenty of stats to blast it all up, got mostly from evening meals out.It will all be so rosey and draws at best to keep it all going.

You've just woken some painful memories, Danny: Graham ‘Do I not like Orange' Taylor and Steve ‘Wally with the Brolly' McClaren.

I also don't care if Tuchel sings the anthem – although personally (putting tin hat on), I think England Managers should be English but I think this discussion has previously been covered.

Re your second paragraph, I think Tarkowski is at least as good as Jagielka but has no caps.

Jags had 30-odd caps and Tarkowski is a much better captain than Jagielka was — imo.

Jagielka wore the armband, wasn't a captain in my eyes.

You're right, 'boss' is definitely as embarrassing as it gets, especially when it's clear to see that the man who was allegedly right was so far out of his depth, it truly was embarrassing.

Are there many English managers in the Premier League to pick from and how many have won anything or played attractive football? And secondly, were any of these good phone calls on reverse charges?

Oh and one last question: Does Tuchel fit or look good in the blazer?

I wasn't criticising you, I enjoy reading your comments, and I know you rate Branthwaite a lot more.

I was just stating Quansah stats to question how did Tuchel pick him in the first place?

"That's right boss. Right boss. Yes Boss. That's how I saw it too boss. He is boss. Agree boss. What did Lawro just say boss?"

What is it about Northamptonshire people?