The shout echoed across England's training base in Kansas City. Thomas Tuchel had seen enough. The German manager, who won the Champions League with Chelsea and league titles at Paris St-Germain and Bayern Munich, turned on Tottenham Hotspur defender Djed Spence and told him to "wake up".
Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins watched from a few yards away. "It was lucky it wasn't me. I think I made a mistake just before Djed did but he ended up shouting at Djed, luckily," Watkins said. "I think he is not afraid to shout at you. He is always demanding from you and making sure you are on it every day."
“Thomas Tuchel shouted at Djed Spence to 'wake up' in training; Ollie Watkins says the manager drives standards.”
For Spence, it was nothing new. The 25-year-old, called up to the 26-man squad despite Tottenham's battle against relegation, is likely first-choice cover at both full-backs after Tino Livramento's withdrawal through injury. "It's normal, you know. He's an elite manager – he demands the highest quality from his players, and we want to give the highest quality back as well," Spence told BBC Radio 5 Live.
Tuchel's intensity is deliberate. England made a winning start to the World Cup, beating Croatia 4-2, with Spence coming on for the final 10 minutes. But the manager is already thinking about the knockout stages. He has made it clear he wants to rely on "finishers" – substitutes who can change games.
Watkins knows that role well. He was the hero of Euro 2024, scoring a dramatic last-gasp winner against the Netherlands to send England into the final. Now, behind captain Harry Kane in the pecking order, he is waiting for his chance again. "I think everyone is crucial in this squad," Watkins said. "The squad that we have and the players coming off the bench, I was really excited, 60, 70 minutes and he was changing the whole front three."
He praised Kane's unique intelligence but insisted: "I can't play like him. I stick to my strengths." And he had special words for Aston Villa teammate Morgan Rogers, an Arsenal target, who came off the bench against Croatia. "He can go to the very top," Watkins said.
Bukayo Saka, who missed a training session to do his own programme, is expected to be fit for the second group game against Ghana on Tuesday. "He hasn't missed a day of training so that's a good thing," Watkins added. As England chase a first World Cup since 1966, Tuchel's roar may be the sound that drives them there – or the one that exposes the pressure.
"That is what you need when the aim is to win a World Cup," Watkins said. "He is very demanding, but when he is around the base camp he is very relaxed and chilled."