Thomas Tuchel was left unimpressed by Kobbie Mainoo's performances in training ahead of England's World Cup group-stage meeting with Ghana, according to a report in the Daily Mail.
The Manchester United midfielder had been expected to feature in the fixture amid fitness concerns over Declan Rice, but Tuchel's dissatisfaction with what he saw on the training pitch ultimately meant Mainoo remained on the bench as an unused substitute throughout the tournament.
Mainoo, who broke through at club level in impressive fashion, was seen as a promising option to provide freshness in midfield, yet the England boss opted against using him, a decision that now forms part of the broader post-mortem into England's failed World Cup campaign.
Tactical Fallout and Player Discontent
The revelation comes amid a wider inquest into England's semi-final exit at the hands of Argentina, where Tuchel's tactics have been heavily criticised. Sources have told the BBC that a clutch of key players were disappointed with how the team approached the final stages of the 2-1 defeat, having retreated deeper after taking the lead.
"It's maybe not in our DNA…to control the game and ball," Tuchel said in defence of his approach, pointing instead to what he perceives as an inherent weakness in English football's mentality.
The Guardian reports that Tuchel's squad selection left him with few alternatives, having packed the squad with injury-prone players and omitted creative talents such as Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Morgan Gibbs-White. That left England with a physical but one-dimensional group, and when the plan unravelled, there was no Plan B—a fact not lost on some squad members.
Mainoo's Missed Opportunity
While the post-tournament analysis has focused on the tactical collapse against Argentina, the Mainoo episode highlights earlier missteps. Tuchel's reluctance to trust the 21-year-old even when Rice's availability was in doubt underscores the manager's rigid approach to squad management.
With the European Championship just two years away, Tuchel has vowed "100 per cent" commitment to his role, but a restoration of trust with his players—and an evolution in his tactical philosophy—may be required to avoid a repeat of this summer's disappointment.
