How Thomas Tuchel envisages a career renaissance for Marcus Rashford

Thomas Tuchel has warned Marcus Rashford that “he can be one of the best in the world” but that he still has to take “the right decisions” or “he will be disappointed in 10 years”. The England manager even admitted that he recalled the 27-year-old for his first squad in March because he felt “it would help him if he felt my support”.

Tuchel, meanwhile, left the door open for the dropped Jude Bellingham by saying he would likely be in his leadership group if recalled. The England manager added that there is always a space for players who have a “hunger and will to come back”.

That could similarly apply to Rashford, whom Tuchel feels is still at a fragile moment in his career. The England manager had been talking about the forward’s improved form, but imploring more consistency, when he was asked how close he felt Rashford was to derailing his career.

“I think he is still on that,” the manager said. “He still has to make these decisions. He is still in that moment, he is still young enough to take the right decisions and not let go. Because otherwise, he will be disappointed in 10 years at what could have been and what he made of it.”

Tuchel said he had told Rashford exactly this, as well as his belief that he can go right to the very top of the game.

“He can be one of the best in the world because the quality I see in training, the finishing with both legs and with the head. He is explosive, he is fast, he is strong in the air, so where are the limits? There are no limits – but the numbers don’t reach the potential, it is as easy as that. He needs to push himself into goal involvements, that means goals and assists, it is as easy as that.”

Tuchel was asked whether he admired Rashford for doggedly pushing for a move to Barcelona, where he has been revitalised. The German instead spoke of his sense of empathy for the player as he discussed what had been a difficult moment at Manchester United, when he wasn’t even training with the first team.

“I didn’t know if he pushed himself; I don’t know if ‘admire’ is the right word. I can feel him for him and I thought in my first camp that it would help him if he felt my support for him. He was at Aston Villa at the time.

“I think that was quite a bold move, because to go in a working team, and a team that was well settled, and played a hard-working style, I think that was a very, very good move for him and he settled in very quickly. And for the work-rate against the ball, I selected him. And still, he had not as many goals and not as many goal involvements as he could have. He creates quite a lot of chances, but for the quality and finishing that we see with training, he just doesn’t score enough, so that’s the next step.

“I think that is the headline for him [consistency]. To keep on pushing himself to the limit. I think the limit for him is very, very high. Maybe higher than for others. He has the potential, but potential is a dangerous word with high-level sports. You have to reach your personal best on a regular basis. That is what is demanded on this kind of level, and that is the challenge for him. It’s not a question of talent, it’s a question of whether he can prove the point at club and international level. This is his task, whether he starts for us or comes off the bench, he has to constantly prove himself.”

Rashford may not actually start what is England’s first ever game in Latvia, where a win will seal World Cup qualification. While this was obviously expected from a manager who has been hired to win the tournament, Tuchel said that “no one should take it for granted”. He even reminded everyone of the pain of a 3-1 home defeat to Senegal in June.

“We expect from ourselves that we take the next step and have another good performance to build on. That should be enough to win the match and this will make us very happy, because the target is to qualify.

“For me, as a coach, it’s always important how we qualify and present ourselves and I’m very happy with the steps we have taken.

“First of all, we need to take the step and beat them. That’s the task and we feel confident we can do it. It’s part of it that we feel privileged enough and strong enough that we take it for granted but, in the moment tomorrow, it will be an achievement to do it that quickly and in that manner.

“It reminds me straight away of the Senegal friendly and their celebrations after they beat us. So I will make sure that we do not sit there and take it for granted.

“Senegal were banging on the walls and the aluminium boxes – maybe tomorrow, I will try this!”