England manager Thomas Tuchel has publicly criticized the atmosphere generated by England fans during their 3-0 victory over Wales at Wembley Stadium on Thursday. Tuchel expressed his disappointment with the lack of energy from the home support, particularly after England's dominant start to the match.
England stormed to a commanding lead within the first 20 minutes, with goals from Morgan Rogers, Ollie Watkins, and Bukayo Saka. However, Tuchel felt the crowd failed to reciprocate the team's early enthusiasm. "We did very, very well. We had an excellent first half, we were 3-0 up very quickly but could have been four or five," Tuchel told ITV. "Then we couldn't score the fourth one or the fifth one and the stadium was silent. Silent!".
The German-born coach went on to say, "We never got any energy back from the fans and I think the players delivered a lot to get more from the fans". He suggested the team's performance warranted greater support from the stands, especially considering their quickfire goals and relentless attacking display.
Tuchel acknowledged that maintaining momentum proved challenging in the second half, but praised his team's overall performance. "It was difficult to keep everything going in the second half, but we did excellent and deserved to win. A step in the right direction," he said.
When questioned if he expected more from the Wembley crowd, Tuchel responded emphatically, "Yeah, what more can you give in 20 minutes? Three goals, the way we attacked Wales and didn't let them escape". He further highlighted England's dominance, stating, "Even in their own half, ball win after ball win after ball win".
Tuchel lamented that the Welsh fans were more audible than the English supporters for a significant portion of the game. "If you then hear for half an hour just the Wales fans, it's a bit sad because I think the team deserved big support today," Tuchel stated.
Despite the comfortable scoreline and positive result, Tuchel's remarks underscore his belief that a vibrant and supportive atmosphere at Wembley is crucial for the team's performance. His comments have sparked debate among fans and pundits alike, raising questions about the expectations placed on supporters and the role they play in driving the team forward.
