England manager Thomas Tuchel admitted his team “got too passive” after scoring first in the World Cup semi-final against Argentina, a collapse that ended in a 2-1 defeat at Atlanta Stadium and triggered a furious backlash from former Manchester United midfielder Nicky Butt.
Butt, 51, called for Tuchel to be sacked and urged 21-year-old Kobbie Mainoo to boycott Saturday’s third-place match against France. Mainoo is one of only two outfield players yet to play at the tournament, alongside Trevoh Chalobah, and Butt said: “I’d just refuse to play if I was Kobbie Mainoo. I’d say I was injured. It’s a nonsense game, especially when you’ve been treated like that.”
“Thomas Tuchel admits England 'got too passive' in semi-final loss as Nicky Butt urges Kobbie Mainoo to boycott third-place match.”
“He’s not played a minute of football, now to go and start this pointless jumped-up friendly and potentially get injured for the whole season… no,” Butt added. He also said Tuchel “can’t stay on” and that the German played “crazy negative football” against a “beatable Argentina team”. Butt suggested Eddie Howe and Mauricio Pochettino as potential successors, ruling out Pep Guardiola because he “can’t leave Man City a month ago, saying he needs a rest from football, and then go straight back in.”
Tuchel said after the defeat that his team “got too passive” after taking the lead. The FA’s technical director John McDermott also came under fire from Butt, who said: “If he stays on, John McDermott needs to be sacked as well.”
Meanwhile, Argentina prepare to face Spain in the World Cup final, with Lionel Messi seeking to inspire the holders to retain their crown after their stunning comeback against England. England take on France in the third-place game on Saturday, with Tuchel expected to make numerous changes. Whether Mainoo will feature remains uncertain.
