Thomas Tuchel has hinted he has doubts about Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca’s belief that Reece James can thrive as a central midfielder.
England’s new manager announced his first squad on Friday ahead of next week’s World Cup qualifiers Albania and Latvia at Wembley.
One of the most uplifting aspects of the group Tuchel has assembled came in the shape of a recall for James who has suffered a torrid time with injuries over the last three years.
Indeed, the Chelsea captain has missed the last two major tournaments when he would likely have been a shoo-in for selection and he has only just returned to something near his best form for his club.
Under Tuchel, James arguably enjoyed the best form of his career as a rampaging right wing-back equally capable of nulifying opponents with his defensive aptitude as wreaking havoc in the final third with his crossing ability and shooting power.
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Since being installed as Chelsea’s manager in the summer, however, Maresca has insisted that he sees the 25-year-old as more of a midfield general.
Tuchel on the other hand, is confident, at international level at least, that James remains ideally suited to the role he played when Chelsea won the Champions League under his stewardship.
He said: ‘I know Reece. In calling him up now, we made sure before we called him up that he was constantly available in training, that he was constantly available to be picked for matches – so that when he’s not picked for matches, it’s not because of injury, it’s just a choice of the club to maybe protect him a little bit. This was the basis for the nomination.
‘I still feel he is a player for the full-back and wing-back positions, I think we have enough players in central midfield who are more specialists there.’
Asked if James could still processed the durability to play such a physically demanding role, Tuchel added: ‘We need to see if he can do this. He needs to prove the point, to be honest, he needs to prove that he can do it.
Enzo Maresca on Reece James in midfield
‘So, you can ask Reece; when I signed with Chelsea, probably the day after, I sent him a video about seeing him as a midfielder.
‘I see Reece as a midfielder, not now – since day one. Before I met him for the first time, he was on holiday, and I sent him a clip of him playing in midfield.’
‘I’m aware he was exposed to less high-intensity work because he played a different role, he started playing in a back three, so with the ball they were building a back three with him which he did also for me at Chelsea.
‘In Copenhagen he played in midfield so you are not exposed to high-intensity runs but the history and the numbers recently tell is it is possible so it’s on him to prove the point.’
There were several high-profile omissions from the squad, meanwhile, with Jack Grealish, perhaps, the most notable absentee.
Grealish has not made a Premier League start for City in three months and having fallen down the pecking order with the reigning champions, thanks in part to injury.
‘I love Jack,’ Tuchel said of the attacking midfielder, who was left out of Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2024 squad. ‘As a headline, I love Jack. I love everything about him. I love his personality, I love his quality.
‘The guy has courage, he can take the heat, he’s not afraid of the Bernabeu whistles when he’s on the ball, it does not affect him and if it affects him only in the best way.
‘So, is he a player that should be available and can have an impact in our squad? Yes, 100 per cent.
‘But lately, he simply has no rhythm and he himself – and I agree 100 per cent with this – said ‘listen, Thomas, I’m not a start-stop player – it is so hard for me to influence a match from the bench and then be on the bench again, and then two weeks later I start again’.’
