12/09/2025

SPORTS FRIDAY | SEPT 12, 2025

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Tuchel’s challenge challenge Coach wants Three Lions to build on five-star display against Serbia T HOMAS TUCHEL challenged England’s players to build on their five-star display in Serbia after an impressive September camp increased competition for a World Cup spot. group if I had the possibility to make 10 changes, I would have made 10 substitutions today because everyone deserved to play and I hope we can keep this going.” Ű BY SIMON PEACH

Use Serbia demolition as template for World Cup: Kane ENGLAND captain Harry Kane said their 5-0 demolition of Serbia should be the template for how they want to play at the World Cup following criticism of Thomas Tuchel’s start to life as Three Lions boss. England had won all four of their Group K qualifiers coming into the match in Belgrade but Tuchel’s tactics and team selections came in for scrutiny following laboured wins over Andorra, Albania and Latvia. Tuchel’s side were much more impressive on Tuesday, however, with Kane, Noni Madueke, Ezri Konsa, Marcus Rashford and Marc Guehi all getting on the scoresheet. “There’s been a lot of noise around the outside, but we’ve been happy with what we’ve been doing,” Kane told broadcaster ITV . “It’s not always been easy against opposition who are sitting in a block of 11 when we have to break them down and be patient. “We knew tonight would be a really big test against better opposition and better players, we said we wanted to show what we can do especially without the ball with the high pressure and make it difficult for them.” England are now within touching distance of qualifying for next year’s Ű BY AADI NAIR

Tuchel, as he did against Andorra, made five substitutions in Serbia, where Ollie Watkins won a late penalty converted by fellow introduction Marcus Rashford. Harry Kane opened the scored at the partially-closed Rajko Mitic Stadium, before Noni Madueke, Ezri Konsa and Marc Guehi opened their international accounts on a memorable night that saw midfielder Elliot Anderson star once again. Having been named man of the match on his debut against minnows Andorra, the 22-year-old was thrown in at the deep in and Belgrade and picked up the accolade for the second time in four days. Asked if the Nottingham Forest midfielder – who starred for England in this summer’s U-21 Euros triumph – was the most important find of this camp, Tuchel said: “I struggle to put these labels on the players. “It doesn’t help if someone is the ‘most important’ and the ‘most important’ person who is missing, and (then it’s a question of) who’s playing, in the ranking. I simply don’t do this. “Elliot deserved to be with us because he did excellent for his club and for the U 21s. That was very impressive. “When I saw him performing in the U 21s final, I had the idea that maybe he can be a No. 6 and we will maybe play into his strengths. “He was excellent in camp, like everyone else. The group made it as easy as possible for him, but he did all the effort that is needed and he had two excellent performances. “So, now it’s on him to keep it going and to keep also the lightness with him and the freedom with him that he needs for his game. “He’s just a very, very good football player and was a very good team-mate in camp.” – The Independent

Tuesday’s fantastic 5-0 win in Belgrade put the Euro 2024 runners-up on the cusp of qualification for next summer’s finals, having gone seven points clear of second placed Albania with three matches to go. England are among the favourites for World Cup glory and finally showed what they were capable of under Tuchel, who is using his limited time with the group as best he can to give them a shot at silverware next summer. There are only three camps until he makes his World Cup selection and the German coach was delighted with his players’ efforts in September, from training and the positive group environment to beating Andorra 2-0 in Birmingham and thrashing Serbia in Belgrade. But as impressed as he was, there are plenty vying for spot in Tuchel’s set-up. Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, Cole Palmer, John Stones and Adam Wharton were among those absent through injury, while Trent Alexander-Arnold, Phil Foden, Harry Maguire and Jack Grealish were overlooked. “We took the group that was available and we took the group that we made available for us because we thought it’s the right thing to do, to start in this season with this group. “They proved the point in camp every day and they made it visible with this result and this performance to our fans and that’s what counts.

World Cup finals in North America and Kane said they must use the win over the Serbs as a template. “This is the time when the competition starts, the formation and the way we play and the style is going to be set in stone,” he added. “Of course, there might be a few games where we have to change a little bit depending on opposition, but we want to play our way.

“We want to be on the front foot and win the ball back quick and when we lose the ball, recover well. “You could say today was the perfect template and we’re going to have difficult games from now until the World Cup but we’ll use this as a starting point and the standard’s been really high.” England next face Wales in a friendly on Oct 9 before taking on Latvia in a qualifier five days later. – The Independent

“This is the message and now we try to build on that of course. But there can be changes again,

maybe we need to be forced to have changes again. “I just told the

England’s Harry Kane (right) in action with Serbia’s Nemanja Maksimovic. – REUTERSPIC

Postecoglou wants Forest back in ‘rightful place’

Ű BY GEORGE SESSIONS

rightful place.” Postecoglou, who has regularly discussed watching European Cup finals as a boy with his father in Australia, knows the responsibility on his shoulders at a club steeped in history, especially the golden era under Brian Clough between 1975 and 1993. He added: “It’s a fantastic football club with great history and, even in recent times, it has done really well. “You bear that responsibility, but I’m excited and I’m looking forward to it and I’m really happy to be here.” Postecoglou faces a baptism of fire as he returns to north London to face title-chasing Arsenal in the Premier League tomorrow (7.30pm Malaysian time). Spurs finished 17th in Postecoglou’s second season in charge, after a horrendous list of injuries, but placed fifth in the 2023/24 campaign. – The Independent

implementing my own ideas. It’s no secret I like my teams to attack, I love my teams to score goals. “That is sometimes misconstrued as me just playing one way, but the reason I want my team to play that way is because I love winning things and that is what I want to do here. “When you look at what the club has achieved in recent times, it’s an outstanding feat to be where we are right now. “Other clubs that have won promotion have struggled to stay in the League, but in a short space of time we’re back in Europe and competing for honours, which is a great credit to everyone involved. “I get a sense that the club wants more and that’s certainly what I want, so I think it’s a really exciting time. “I’m honoured and I’m humbled, but more importantly I’m determined to make sure this football club takes its

Ange Postecoglou. – REUTERSPIC

ANGE POSTECOGLOU is determined to take Nottingham Forest back to “its rightful place” in English football. Postecoglou sealed a rapid return to the Premier League on Wednesday when he was appointed as Nuno Espirito Santo’s successor at the City Ground – only four months on from being sacked by Tottenham. Spurs parted company with Postecoglou despite a first trophy in 17 years in May with Europa League success, and with two-time European Cup winners Forest back in a continental competition for the first time in three decades, the 60-year-old is full of excitement about the challenge ahead. “I love winning things. That’s what I’ve done,” Postecoglou said in an in house interview. “From my perspective now it’s about