Thomas Tuchel defends Jordan Henderson England call-up

Thomas Tuchel have defended veteran midfielder Jordan Henderson‘s England call-up ahead of their upcoming games against Andorra and Senegal.

Tuchel has revealed that he had no doubt regarding the decision to invite the former Liverpool captain.

The German manager emphasizes that it is ‘impossible’ for the new generation to bring Henderson’s qualities into the Three Lions squad, hence his decision to rely on the Ajax midfielder.

Henderson has been named in the England squad for England’s upcoming friendlies against Andorra and Senegal, to the surprise of the fans and media following a title setback to Henderson’s season at Ajax, while young Crystal Palace player Adam Wharton is ignored.

However, Tuchel explains that the 34-year-old’s inclusion in the team was never in question, stating that the veteran is crucial for setting the standards, regardless of the situation, and insisting that younger players cannot fulfill that role.

He told reporters: “If we have a training exercise with different groups and you have a group with Jordan you can turn your back you don’t need to watch.

“He will take care of all the standards in the group. It may be a possession game, a passing exercise, maybe the warm up but you don’t need to take care of this group because Jordan takes care of it.

“He sets the standards. He is a natural leader and the others follow. That is why he is with us.

“He is doing this in an impressive way and still playing at a decent level. That is why there was not a thought to drop him.”

Asked if he is annoyed by the regular questions about Henderson’s place in the team, he added:

“I can understand it but once you meet Jordan and once you see Jordan and once you speak to Jordan, it’s such an obvious choice… It’s not Adam Wharton vs Jordan Henderson.

“What Jordan Henderson brings in the moment to the group, an under 21 player cannot bring, it’s just impossible from the personality and from the experience.”