Thomas Tuchel was left no choice but to divert away from the FA’s corporate messaging after England twice fell flat at Wembley over the past week. The friendlies against Uruguay and Japan were billed as his side’s ‘Send-Off Series’ before this summer’s World Cup, but a dour 1-1 draw with the former and even bleaker 1-0 defeat to the latter left the head coach insistent this was no “send-off” and didn’t need to be either. “It’s March.”
It was when he said it, for a few more hours at least, but soon enough it will be May and time to name his 26-man squad for the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Time is ticking.
