England World Cup Squad: Why Leaks Predict Thomas Tuchel’s Squad

Manchester United defender Harry Maguire’s decision to go public on social media after being told he was not selected on Thursday has drawn criticism from some fans and pundits, who suggested the veteran defender should wait for the official announcement before speaking.

But when other players relayed news of their status, they were fully aware that the information would leak.

Tuchel’s predecessor, Gareth Southgate, has been praised throughout his tenure for creating a spirit of unity within the squad and rekindling the positive relationship between the players and the crowd.

The absence of the first three players from the squad began to trickle down to the press – Maguire, Phil Foden and Cole Palmer – all previously favorites of Southgate.

So does the fact that some players cheat undermine Tuchel’s authority, or does it point to some kind of divisiveness?

The German made it clear that he was not happy with Maguire’s response.

Tuchel told BBC sports editor Dan Roan: “There was no need to make this public.

“I (already) knew about his reaction, his feelings. It didn’t help me, but I understood his frustration and I respected him a lot as a player.

“(Leaks) are just the nature of these times. We called most of the players yesterday[Thursday]. Players are disappointed and of course they talk and then more people know, more people want to know.

“We wanted to tell them earlier, but we’ve got a lot of respect for the FA Cup final and Aston Villa in the Europa League final.”