Topics: England, Football, Thomas Tuchel, Chelsea, Gareth Southgate
England players are going to have to prepare themselves after new manager Thomas Tuchel's brutal training drills have been revealed.
After eight years in charge, former England boss Gareth Southgate stood down as manager of the Three Lions in July, following England's loss to Spain in the Euro 2024 final.
Following a lengthly process considering several options, the FA officially announced Tuchel would take over as England manager starting in January 2025.
And In the wake of the news, a report detailing the harsh training methods that England's players will have to get used to under their new boss has resurfaced.
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According to an article published by The Athletic in 2021 shortly after the German was named as the new Chelsea manager, Tuchel uses deploys four particularly brutal methods in his training sessions.
The first is the decision to use mini footballs while training instead of the standard size five balls to improve the control and the accuracy of player's tackles.
Not only are the footballs smaller in Tuchel's training sessions, but the size of the goals are also reduced to make it more difficult for players to score.
Another of the 51-year-old's strange training methods is to make all players hold tennis balls during the session and during
practice matches in order to stop them grappling with their opponents.
The final method used in Tuchel's training sessions is to cut the corners off the pitch so that the final third of the pitch turns into a triangular shape, therefore encouraging the team to play more vertically.
Tuchel's aim is for the training sessions he leads to be so tough and mentally exhausting that it makes any competitive match seem easy in comparison.
After the official announcement confirming his appointment, Tuchel wrote in a statement: “I am very proud to have been given the honour of leading the England team.
"I have long felt a personal connection to the game in this country, and it has given me some incredible moments already.
"To have the chance to represent England is a huge privilege, and the opportunity to work with this special and talented group of players is very exciting.
"Working closely with Anthony as my assistant coach, we will do everything we can to make England successful and the supporters proud."
