Tuchel Condemns England Fans' Booing of Ben White in Wembley Comeback
England manager Thomas Tuchel has voiced his disappointment at the reaction of some England supporters who jeered defender Ben White during his return from a self-imposed international exile. The Arsenal player was met with a chorus of boos when he came off the bench and again when he scored, in a tense 1-1 draw with Uruguay at Wembley Stadium.
Mixed Reception for White After World Cup Walkout
Ben White left the 2022 World Cup in Qatar following a disagreement with former assistant coach Steve Holland and had made himself unavailable for selection until this recent camp. His reintroduction was marked by audible negativity from parts of the crowd, which Tuchel addressed post-match.
'There was a mixed reception which I'm disappointed about because we protect our players,' Tuchel stated. 'He's been excellent in camp. I understand it's happened to other players. He needs to take it on the chin. He is ready to write a new chapter and hopefully everyone can move on.'
The manager added that he did not hear the booing on the field due to his focus on the game, but emphasised that it cannot represent the majority of fans.
Controversial Penalty and Refereeing Decisions
On a hectic night, White initially silenced the crowd by nudging England ahead late in the match, only to then concede a stoppage-time penalty described as 'soft' by Tuchel. Federico Valverde converted the spot-kick to secure a draw for Uruguay.
Tuchel was apoplectic with referee Sven Jablonski's performance throughout the game, seething at wild challenges on Phil Foden and Noni Madueke that went unpunished. Both attackers were forced off with injuries that will be assessed ahead of Tuesday's friendly against Japan.
'It was not a good (refereeing) performance at all,' Tuchel criticised. 'I cannot understand these tackles not being checked. There was a debate about the player with two yellow cards and not being sent off. It's a soft penalty. Of course there is contact. (But) it's so obvious what the striker is trying to do.'
He expressed surprise that VAR was in place, questioning why the tackles on Foden and Madueke were not reviewed while the penalty incident was.
Injury Concerns and Squad Decisions
Tuchel confirmed that he is yet to make final decisions on which players will remain in camp before the Japan friendly, with the fitness of Jude Bellingham and John Stones needing evaluation. The injuries to Foden and Madueke add to the selection headaches.
The England boss praised Foden's defensive work in training, highlighting his efforts to give the Manchester City player every opportunity to prove his worth ahead of World Cup squad announcements. He also commented on the strikers' performances, noting Dominic Solanke's hard work and Dominic Calvert-Lewin's missed chance.
'I like Solanke's effort, he worked like a dog as our first defender,' Tuchel said. 'He made a lot of sprints and runs. It took Calvert-Lewin a little bit to get the press right. He had the big chance and he is upset with himself, it was made for him six yards out. He could've made a statement straight away.'
