Troy Deeney: Thomas Tuchel should be sacked if England fail to win World Cup

Former Watford forward Troy Deeney has issued a scathing assessment of England manager Thomas Tuchel's first World Cup squad selection. Deeney believes that the omission of several high-profile stars has left the Three Lions with a weakened lineup, branding the group a 'B-team' despite the depth of talent available to the nation.

The pundit argued that the pressure on the former Chelsea manager is immense and that anything less than the trophy should result in his dismissal. "For a nation with A-star talent, we seem to be sending a B-team to the World Cup," Deeney wrote. "Thomas Tuchel has got his principles all muddled up and has selected a squad that, if they do not come back with the trophy, should be a sackable offence."

Significant backlash has centered on the exclusion of 2023-24 Premier League Player of the Season Phil Foden, as well as Chelsea's Cole Palmer and Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold. Deeney questioned the consistency of Tuchel's selection criteria, noting that the inclusion of some players contradicts the manager's stated emphasis on form and fitness.

Deeney also took aim at the inclusion of Jordan Henderson, suggesting it conflicts with Tuchel’s promise to pick only players who are match-fit and active.

Tuchel has stood firm, explaining that his choices were heavily influenced by the "evidence" gathered during previous international camps, where he felt the leadership group and the overall team chemistry reached a level he wanted to preserve for the tournament in North America. The manager cautioned against overloading the roster with too many similar profiles, which he believes would harm tactical cohesion. As the tournament approaches, the burden is now on the manager to prove his doubters wrong.