Maguire’s World Cup Hopes Hinge on Fitness and Favouritism
Harry Maguire faces a precarious path to the World Cup, with England manager Thomas Tuchel admitting the Manchester United defender is currently behind several rivals in the pecking order. Despite a strong showing in the recent 1-1 draw against Uruguay at Wembley, where he was named man-of-the-match, Tuchel’s assessment suggests Maguire may need a dose of luck with injuries to other players to secure his spot in the squad heading to North America.
Tuchel has outlined a clear hierarchy at centre-back, placing Maguire as his sixth-choice option. He explicitly named four players ahead of the 33-year-old:
- Ezri Konsa
- Marc Guehi
- Trevoh Chalobah
- John Stones
While not explicitly mentioning Dan Burn, Tuchel’s ranking implies the Newcastle defender is also ahead of Maguire.
“I haven’t changed my mind (on Maguire),” Tuchel stated. “But I see other players I like to start for us, I see other players ahead with a different profile. I see Ezri Konsa ahead. I see Marc Guehi ahead. It’s no secret. I see Trevoh Chalobah, on the level of mobility, was slightly ahead of him. Also John Stones, but he had injuries so he (Maguire) needed to come in camp. I needed to meet him in person to see how he acts within the group.”
Despite these rankings, Tuchel acknowledged Maguire’s potential value in a tournament setting. “It will be interesting now to see how he acts within the group,” he commented. “He will stay with us. He has an asset that can also be super-important in a tournament, in knockout football, in defending a lead and chasing a game with crosses and long throw-ins and set-pieces.”
Reflecting on Maguire’s performance against Uruguay, Tuchel was pragmatic. “I got exactly what I thought (against Uruguay). Solid, solid central-defender play. That’s what he does. Very good on the ball, very calm, strong in the air and the weapon for set-pieces.”
When pressed on whether Maguire would make the World Cup squad if it were named tomorrow, Tuchel was candid about the current injury situation. “If I have to name it tomorrow, we have a lot of injuries, he could be in it,” he admitted. “Who else would be there in the centre of defence?!”
However, the manager was less certain if all players were fit. “If, if, if…” Tuchel mused. “We don’t need to name the squad tomorrow. He did a good game. He did what he does for Man United. He did it straight away. I’m very happy with him. To be honest, I haven’t changed my mind. I got everything I expected from him.”
Stones: A Guaranteed Ticket Despite Club Bench Time
In stark contrast to Maguire’s situation, John Stones appears to have an almost unconditional place in Tuchel’s World Cup plans, provided he can overcome his current fitness concerns. The Manchester City defender, who has been sidelined with a calf problem and remained on the bench for England’s draw with Uruguay, is still highly valued by the national team manager.
Stones has not started a Premier League game since October and his last league appearance was on December 2nd. Despite this lack of consistent club minutes, Tuchel indicated that Stones’s understanding of the game and his overall quality make him a vital component of the England setup.
“If you come to the World Cup you should be fit,” Tuchel explained. “So when he came (into this camp) he was fit. He did not have a lot of minutes, but he has a level of game understanding. I knew that he was ready to play because he played in the FA Cup and Champions League.”
Tuchel elaborated on why Stones is an exception to the rule of requiring regular game time. “So the exception of the rule meaning that he does not start a lot – I can see that because I’m a big fan and I know what he brings to the team in terms of personality, attitude and quality game understanding.”
The German manager expressed his full support for Stones as he battles his injury. “He’s obviously very upset (at being injured) and at the moment he gets my full support because it helps him more than putting more pressure.”
Tuchel confirmed Stones’s recent club situation. “He was ready to play for City in the last weeks. He played in the Champions League and he played in the FA Cup, but he was not used in the league. But he played enough for me to be important for us.”
The recurring calf issue has led to a cautious approach. “He was so strong in training again, like every time I see him. I think he’s a world-class player. But he felt again, the calf. We were then very careful and said we don’t take any risk. We did a reintegration and he felt it again in the last training. So no risk at the moment. But he has a lot of credit in the bank with me. So let’s hope that he gets fit, because it’s most important that he finds his confidence.”
