Watkins embracing supporting role as Tuchel taps England’s bench strength
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KANSAS CITY, Missouri, June 21 : England’s Ollie Watkins has yet to kick a ball in his debut World Cup, but the striker is convinced Thomas Tuchel’s willingness to unleash fresh attackers from the bench could prove a decisive weapon in the pursuit of glory.
England’s 4-2 victory over Croatia offered a glimpse of the approach Tuchel favours, with Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka and Morgan Rogers all introduced in the second half as the manager looked to maintain the tempo against tiring opponents.
“I think everyone’s crucial in this squad, the squad depth that we have, and the players coming off the bench the other day,” Watkins told reporters on Sunday. “I was really excited when I saw 60, 70 minutes that he was basically changing the whole front three.
“I think bringing on pacey players that run forward, score more goals, I think it’s exciting.”
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The Aston Villa forward has been keeping sharp, scoring in a 5-1 thrashing of MLS side Sporting Kansas City in a closed-door friendly on Thursday as non-starters built fitness away from the spotlight.
“It’s just good to get that flow of minutes into your legs, rather than just running in a straight line,” he said. “I prefer to play a game after, like we have been. As tiring as it is with all the travelling, it gets out your legs, and you feel much better doing it that way.”
Ahead of Tuesday’s game against Ghana, he acknowledged the threat posed by Manchester City forward Antoine Semenyo.
“We know Semenyo is a great player, as you’ve seen in the last few seasons, but he focuses a lot on ourselves and what we’re trying to do with the ball, and how we’re trying to dominate them,” Watkins said.
DEMANDING MANAGER
Tuchel’s intensity has become a talking point in England’s camp. During training sessions and matches, the German is quick to challenge players when standards slip.
“He’s not afraid to shout at you,” Watkins said. “He’s always demanding from you, making sure you’re on it every day. I think it just shows you that he’s a winner, and he’s always driving the standards.
“(But) when it’s around the base camp, he’s very relaxed and chilled.”
The 30-year-old Watkins has travelled a long way to reach his first World Cup. A decade ago he was on loan at non-league Weston-super-Mare, where he has said there was no hot water in the changing rooms.
“I’m sure there’s a lot of players here in the World Cup that have had a journey similar to mine,” Watkins said. “I just try to take it all in, enjoy the moment.”
Watkins is soaking up his World Cup experience – even if he has already learned one cultural lesson the hard way after a wardrobe mishap in Kansas City, home of the NFL’s 2025 Super Bowl champion Chiefs.
“I wore a Dallas Cowboys shirt into Kansas City,” he said. “A guy said to me, ‘You can’t wear that!’ I won’t be doing that again.”
Source: Reuters
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