Glen Johnson is convinced Thomas Tuchel will get the best out of Trent Alexander-Arnold in an England shirt.
Opportunity calls for the Liverpool ace following Tuchel’s England arrival, with the 26-year-old eager to finally establish himself on the international stage after struggling to stamp his mark in Gareth Southgate‘s side. Having won everything there is to win at his boyhood club, Alexander-Arnold reaffirmed his ambitions of personal glory last week.
The Scouse star revealed dreams of becoming the first right-back to win the Ballon d’Or. And given individual awards often go hand-in-hand with international success, Johnson – a predecessor to Alexander-Arnold at full-back for Liverpool – believes he will be at the heart of any glory enjoyed by Tuchel’s new-look Three Lions.
Johnson, 40, said: “The big players play in multiple positions and he’s going to be a manager’s dream. As long as Tuchel can get the best out of him, then of course, he’s going to play a big role.
“When you go away at tournaments, you’re always going to get a certain amount of injuries, so when players are capable of playing in two or three different positions, that’s what you need in tournament football.”
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“I’ve not met Tuchel personally, but he seems like a great lad. I think the lads will really enjoy it, and if you’ve got good players that are happy, then they’re going to perform.”
Johnson was speaking at the launch of the FA’s four-year grassroots strategy, which will strive to address some of the most pressing challenges concerning the English grassroots game.
Projections anticipate a further 220,000 new players will be involved in grassroots football across 15,000 new teams by 2028 as the FA looks to deliver equal opportunities for everyone to play, while also investing in new facilities and tackling poor behaviours.
Grassroots football acts as the starting point for all footballers, with England’s international success greatly reliant on a thriving grassroots scene.
Johnson, who was capped 54 times by England between 2003 and 2014, is eager for his nation to finally enjoy major glory and is particularly buoyed by Tuchel’s superb resume as a tournament manager, which includes a famous Champions League title with Chelsea from the 2020/21 campaign.
While some have questioned the decision to hire a non-English manager, Johnson is insistent Tuchel is the right man for the job regardless of his heritage. “Obviously he’s a fantastic manager, he gets the passion of the English, the nation and obviously the fans, and given what he’s done at club level, I think the lads are gonna really love working for him,” Johnson added.
“We’ve got a great team, we’ve been competitive in the last few tournaments, so hopefully Tuchel is the man that can get us over that next step where we’ve got to beat a proper team in the latter stages.
“He’s been around the big games in terms of the Champions League, he’s dealt with big players, played against big players. He’s going to be able to deal with our dressing room relatively straightforward and he knows how to beat big teams.
“I think we’re capable of beating anyone. If you’ve got a manager that is like that, then it can only be positive.”
The Football Association has launched a new landmark strategy to grow and develop grassroots football in England, titled ‘A Thriving Grassroots Game’. The four-year grassroots strategy is aimed at supporting sustainable growth over the next four years, with projections anticipating a further 220,000 new players across 15,000 new teams by 2028. For more information go to www.TheFA.com