Football Daily - England vs Latvia look-ahead with Rice & Tuchel

Episode Date: March 23, 2025

John Murray and Ian Dennis look ahead to England’s FIFA World Cup qualifier vs Latvia. They speak to England boss Thomas Tuchel and Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice. Find out why Tuchel leaves his team announcement until matchday, and hear about Rice’s relationship with the Latvian ‘King Kong’.05:20 Thomas Tuchel INTERVIEW 12:45 Declan Rice INTERVIEW BBC Sounds / 5 Live commentaries this week: Mon 1945 England v Latvia in World Cup qualifying, Wed 2000 Arsenal v Real Madrid in UEFA Women’s Champions League, Thu 2000 Chelsea v Man City in UEFA Women’s Champions League.

BBC Sounds music radio podcast. The Football Daily podcast. Listen on BBC Sounds. Hello I'm John Murray and this is a bonus edition of the Five Life Football Daily podcast looking ahead to England's Wembley World Cup qualifier against Latvia after Thomas Tuchel's side opened their campaign with Friday's 2-0 win over Albania. As I speak now I am at the Tottenham Hotspur training centre where England are based around these two matches. Our senior football reporter Ian Dennis is just standing to my right, we're leaning on this white barrier that's the barrier and I'm looking out across the training

pitch where the England coaches are just walking out onto the pitch it is a chilly I have to say it's a chilly grey overcast afternoon there's been heavy rain already today and I'm just beginning to see the purple colours of some more of the England staff walking up from where they stay here at the Tottenham Training Centre. So Ian, what is the news that we know so far? Well a sharp change in the weather because what a contrast to the other day the first day of spring we had blue skies and sunshine about 18 degrees and it's a grey damp afternoon and obviously the news is since is that Anthony Gordon

the FA have confirmed on Sunday morning that he's returned to Newcastle. Slightly better news than was probably thought on Friday because at the time of the hip injury Thomas Tuchel had described it as worrying but and we'll hear from him later on but I thought he allayed the fears of any Newcastle fans by saying he's just struggling to walk more pain more down to the fact that it's a bruise in the hip region. But he's now gone home, so that means we've got a squad of 25. And he was praising Morgan Gibbs-White, wasn't he, in the press conference, just saying about an amazing character, the fact that he's dealt with the disappointment, not just of being initially left out, the

original squad of 26, but also then when he was excluded of the matchday squad of 23 on Friday because obviously you've got to leave three out and he along with Gerald Kwancer and Aaron Ramsdale were the three unfortunate not to figure but Gibbs White will now be in the squad and that tidies up the housekeeping for a squad of 25. Yeah and we're going to hear from Declan Rice, aren't we, who was the player who spoke to us today, who has got, I felt, quite an entertaining tale to tell about a link of his with one of the Latvian squad. But I don't think we should give too much away about that just yet. No, but what I will say is, when you do listen to Declan Rice stay to the very very end for the King Kong

reference and also I would suggest with Declan Rice today and Miles Lewis Skelly with you on Friday the two Arsenal players have provided genuine Interviews where you're smiling listening to them talk and that's all it will leave it there. Yes Yes But you so you'll hear that very shortly and also if you're proud of coming from Romford wait on to hear what Declan Rice has got to say but in terms of Thomas Tuco and what he might do the question will be how many changes there will be

and he and and Thomas Tuco was saying to us when he was asked in the main media conference whether there will be changes he did say yes and no maybe a mix he said there are two or three players who in his words are feeling their legs after Friday night and he said as well with reference to Marcus Rashford and Phil Foden who their performances were under some scrutiny I think it's fair to say. He said he'd spoken to both of them separately and in front of the squad. He said with Rashford they'd looked at his sprinting numbers and he suggested that there were a number of occasions where perhaps England didn't use Rashford as they might have done. But I think most interestingly on Phil Foden, Thomas Tuchel said he's not finding the momentum he can have.

He said he needs closer connections to a number 10. Bellingham was playing in that position on Friday night. Yeah, closer connections than there were in that match. He said it could help to play them again, but there are others. But he also said, Thomas T Tuchel no one will be dropped from a performance point of view we did what we needed to do i.e. winning the match but he also said didn't he there's some quotes during the rounds about showing him love and commitment because he's aware that he hasn't possibly

reproduced his best form of late for Manchester City whereas for Marcus Rashford he has been revitalized since he joined Aston Villa on loan and I thought that was an interesting take as well to just to try and almost put the arm around the shoulder of Phil Foden so I mean Anthony Gordon would have started I think Thomas Tuchel said that to you but if I actually because you talk about the team selection, don't you? Because ahead of the Albanian game, normally it would be leaked,

but it was very, very tight that on Friday against Albania. And that was one of the questions that you spoke to the England manager about. So in fact, let's just hear your conversation with him. The players have told us that you didn't tell them the team until the day of the match. Is that going to be your way and why do you do that? I don't know another way because sometimes I need the last night also to get my ideas in the right order.

Sometimes I simply don't know it the day before. This is just a common procedure for me to give it either in the morning or even in the afternoon of an evening match. As you know, some players like to know, don't they? Listen, I think that most of the players know when they see the last training. I think most of the players know. So anyway, this kind of, we keep it secret. I mean, honestly, Thiago Silva knew at Chelsea that he's playing all the time.

Toni Riediger knew he's playing, Xorginho knew that he was playing. And I don't think that Harry Kane is worried about his place in the starting lineup tomorrow. I'm not so sure. So I think some players know if they are fit, they're picked and they will play. And some players don't.

This is normal because we also have the chance to take last decisions. And this will stay like that. Can I ask you as well, being your first camp as the international manager, having been a club manager at this time of the season, when you've been involved in Champions League matches and important matches at this time of the season, when you've been involved in Champions League matches and important matches at the end of the season, now you're the international manager. Are you at all conscious of those considerations? Yes, we are very conscious, but there is a but. We are very conscious, we take care of

the players because it's all about the players. So we monitor them, we have reports about them, we are in contact with the clubs before camp so we know 100% what they did before, how many minutes, how intense were their minutes in comparison also to international football. It's like the highest level of support we have from the structure that the FA provides for us to take the decision if someone can play two matches. I know that this window, this camp is a window where the clubs play a very crucial time of the season. They play for championships, they play for international quarter-finals in the Champions League.

We are very well aware of it, but we have also our own goals, we have our own targets. The players are keen to play and it has to be like this. I experienced it many, many times in clubs that players from South American countries are like, they don't even think about dropping one minute because they will want to play for their country they're proud to play for their country and this is also something that that we have to understand and and accept I always accepted it as a as a club manager I never got involved in lineups I never pushed any national coach because I was hoping that my players get picked I was also hoping that

they are proud to play. Of course, you're never happy if something happens. No one can predict that there's no accident, but we have a World Cup qualifier and we'll take responsible decisions. Have you had any of them on to you this week? Managers? No, no, no, no. And just a final... There's not a lot on my phone but... No, good. And just a final one. You know, I've heard you over the course of the last week talk often about getting back on the pitch and getting back with the players, which is clearly what you want, that's what you're used to. You have one match now, tomorrow night, and this week has been bang, here it is, then it's gone. Now it's going to be two and a half months.

The reality of being an international manager, you must be getting your head around it. Yes, it was a very intense week because you want to try to squeeze everything into the eight, nine days that you have the players. You have to then accept reality that at some point it can also be too much. So we gave them more or less a day to breathe yesterday and today again it's matchday minus one and you try to implement again like a debrief of the match straight away a preparation for Latvia. Then you have matchday minus one training but some of the players are on matchday plus

two so they will not do too much. These are the challenges that we have to adapt to. It's very, very intense. It feels like training camp, it feels like a pre-season in club football which is always very intense. Then we are back to observing and back to keeping the contact with the players until June. So whilst we were listening there to John's interview with Thomas Tuchel, the four goalkeepers walked behind us, Jordan Pickford, and it could be a big night for Jordan, couldn't it? If once again he's given an opportunity to be in goal once more.

Which I think is a question. Yeah, I mean, but that would be his 75th cap, so that would mean that he is then level with David Seaman and Joe Hart and only Peter Shilton with 125 caps then would be ahead of the trio. And just now we are seeing the England squad just walking up the the walkway which is over on the far side of the the training pitch from where we stand and it is Harry Kane who is leading the England squad out I think

there must be one or two gloves out there surely on on an afternoon like this but they're all they're all assembling there and and again for those who don't know we're actually only allowed to watch the first 15 minutes so effectively watch the warm-up yes but it's interesting again Dan Byrne wasn't that far behind Harry Kane that was a for me an impact I think that he's made off the pitch I said it on Five Live Sport on Saturday that you know obviously last week at Burton he spoke for a very long length of time at St George's Park he was then second onto the training pitch at Burton behind

Harry Kane as they disembarked the coach at Wembley when they arrived. He was just behind the skipper as they then walked out onto the pitch for the warm-up. Then on Wembley again he was at the forefront and once more I think Dan Burn is now going to start to just do a gentle jog around the pitch just to limber up. He's very much involved isn't he? Just trying to swear is Thomas Tuchel in amongst all of that. Just trying to see if I can spot the England coach who is that him just at the beyond the group on the halfway line? Can you see him? I don't I'm not sure that he's come out as yet. We've got Nico Meyer the performance coach and we've got Anthony Barry because at the minute we've got, well I

guess they're like metal figurines aren't they, all lined up we've got the pole stuck into the lush green surface as well. There he is I can see him now, Thomas Tuchel with the the black woolly hat on and he's got a dark blue, actually it's purple isn't it, that dark purple tracksuit top on which is which is unzipped at the front and he's just now walking across and he's putting his arm around one of the coaches so yep he's out there to oversee it. So while they begin to get warmed up, which they will need to do on an afternoon like this, as forecast let us hear from Declan Rice who Ian was speaking to over inside a little earlier.

Declan just first of all, Miles Lewis Skelly, hard to believe that was only his 27th senior appearance of his career, what a debut. Incredible, done exactly like what he's been doing for club, been fearless, confident in his own ability, even like just speaking to some of the lads here they've really taken back by like his confidence, but in a good way in terms of how he handles himself, how he steps up to the occasion. Usually you get a lot of 18-year-olds that would make their debut and maybe be a bit shy. But the way he carried himself in the changing room, he was even talking in the changing room before the game, it was just really, really impressive. And he's got that about him. I've seen it all season at Arsenal and I said it early on

this kid's gonna be special and yeah he was he was amazing the other night and to score probably topped off one of the best nights of his life. How exciting is it for club and country you've got him you've got Ethan Waniere Max Dalman who I'm hearing positive things about from the training field too. Yeah it's unbelievable times, Ethan's. I can't even talk highly enough of Ethan as well. I'll just wait until he gets into the team, the lads get to see him because he's a special talent. Max is the best 15-year-old in the country. I've had so many texts about Max recently where people have watched him saying, they've just watched him and said him and said wow what a talent so he's one to watch out for I

think but I think at 15 still such a long way to go you know you can be the best 15 year old in the country at 15 but doesn't necessarily mean 18 you're gonna be so you need to be hungry keep working keep pushing and I'll speak with Max a lot and he knows that he's got such a good family around him so he's unruly and obviously with Mars as well, Arsenal were blessed to have three players that can potentially have long Arsenal careers. Luckily enough I have a really good relationship with all three of them because Max gets to train with us quite a lot and the three of them I've taken under my wing a little bit because I've been

in that position before and I'd had older players help me out. I get on really well with all of them and they're all really, really comfortable around me, which is all part of having a good relationship. Harry Kane the other day was talking about he felt there was a lack of leadership at the Euros last summer. Is that something you agree with? If so, how does it change and when does it change? Yeah, it changes now. I think the manager's put massive emphasis on that. H, obviously feeling like alone and like he had a lot to do on his own shouldn't be the way, especially if you want to win stuff. You need a group of players, a team of players who are all there. Not just one captain who takes responsibility for everything.

You need 11 players all digging in or a group of you like the manager has been speaking about that take ownership, have uncomfortable conversations, if things ain't right you sort it out. And I think this week he's put massive emphasis on that in terms of us going into the World Cup, pushing each other more, leading more and obviously we can be better for that as a team because that's what the best teams have, you know, they have a lot of leaders who end up pushing people and ultimately in the end them teams always go on to do the best teams have. They have a lot of leaders who end up pushing people and ultimately in the end them teams always go on to do the best because you've got everyone digging in the right direction and not just one person or feeling alone. You've got 11 players that want to win and push each other to the max and I think that's what we need. You're so popular but are you prepared

to have those difficult conversations? Are you prepared to dig out your teammate on the pitch? Yeah definitely. I think as someone me and the manager have spoken about I get on so well with everyone. I think my character off the pitch you know I'm so happy like a happy-go-lucky character where I get on with everyone but when I'm on the pitch you know kind of go into game mode and I've had uncomfortable conversations on the pitch with players and it's not personal like because when we're off the pitch we're like best mates again and that could be with anyone but on the pitch with players and it's not personal like because when we're off the pitch we're like best mates again and I could be with anyone but on the pitch you know when you got a chance to win a football match you need to demand the most of each other and maybe in the past as a team we've not done that enough but

now's a real chance especially with Thomas he's given us that freedom you know in a way to say like obviously yeah he's the manager but you guys you're the ones on the pitch you take ownership and you demand more of each other. You know, we only get one career, so why are you going to waste it and feel like you can't say anything? You know, there's a chance to say something and say it and get it out on the table. He's been massive on that. He said that he's impatient as he wants to influence his style of play, his philosophy

on you, the players. He wants it, but obviously it will take time. But I just sense there is an excitement about what he potentially could bring. Yeah, this week's just been like a little teaser in terms of how he's going to change us, what we've been doing. I think over time, the more time we get to train together, play together, you're going to see a more Thomas Ducal team, the team that got to six cup finals with Chelsea, won the Champions League, got

to the Champions League final with PSG, he's a serial winner. And I think over time, the more we get to train and play and the lads that I know that have played under Thomas, just say, just wait, just wait till you properly get into it. And obviously I've only been with him five, six days, so it's really, really early on, but we're really looking forward to this journey and with this group and proper players that we have here and coming through it's definitely exciting times. It's mad to think this this weekend marks your debut for England, you're 26 years of age, this is your 64th camp. Don't tell me. You wonder about where it's going to end but I just want to know what have you learned during that time and how excited you about what lies ahead?

Yeah, well, I've had so many ups and downs in an England shirt Like I've had some of the best memories ever Also had horrible memories in terms of losing two finals, which have been obviously awful It's just gone so quick in terms of How things can change so quickly, you know I've played with so many different players for England players that you know are in favor of their clubs And then they're out of form and then all of a sudden you're not in an England shirt anymore. It's just reminded me always not to take it for granted. Playing for England, it ain't just, oh yeah, because I'm Declan Rice, he picks. You need to

be performing week in, week out and that drives me at club. You need to be performing because he's watching all the time, his coaches are watching and And when you're here, you know, you want to play and I want to rack up as many caps as possible. Obviously, 63 caps so far at 26 is amazing, but I want to keep pushing and get as many as I can. And I'm sure with Thomas's guidance and myself and I myself as a character, you know, I'm really hungry to keep doing that. And finally, you've made headlines in Latvia with King Kong.

I mean, that was a dream for that journalist to ask you Ron Ferdinandos. Tell us about the Latvian King Kong. No honestly he was such a he come he would come on trial first his name's Rijad Marchevitz he's a I might not pronounce it in the Latvian way but um. Better than me. Yeah but he's a goalkeeper and yeah we shared a house together at West Ham and he was just an all-round amazing guy. He was the boss, he wants me to go. But yeah, he was an all-round top guy, couldn't really speak much English. But by the time he'd come to the end at West Ham, he was like an Englishman. It was brilliant. But it's a place in Romford called the Brewery. People in Essex will know, or Romford will know the Brewery really well. It's like a shopping centre with shops and obviously food and things like that.

Just like there is with anywhere and we went to Nando's a few times and he actually is. You'll see him on the lookout for him because he's like a seven foot. I promise you he's so tall but he's such a good guy. It's actually funny his feet used to hang out the end of the bed. That's how tall he is at Diggs because Diggs beds were so small. His feet used to hang out the end but he's such a good guy and I'm really looking forward to seeing him so yeah I'm sure he'll be buzzing and yeah hopefully I'll get to see him on Monday. Well talking of tall people I better let you follow the boss. Yeah I know exactly I better get off to lunch. Brilliant thanks again cheers. Yeah I know exactly I better get off to lunch.

So there we are Declan Rice very entertaining about Rehards Matrovic one of the the Latvian goalkeepers who they obviously go back a long way together. Yeah and if as you say if anybody from Romford is listening to that they'll know exactly what the the brewery is all about but. And as I said to him as he was walking away for us after that he will never need to get out his cheque book in Romford again. No and when he did follow Thomas Tuchel out I said go and go follow another tall man. Did make me laugh the other day when I saw a picture of you and Dan Byrne. I mean what you're 6'6 and Dan Byrne's 6'7, land of the giants. Angels of the North as Gary

Flintoff our producer said. Is everyone out there all present and correct? Yep so we're down now to a squad of 25 and that they're all they're all training and we know obviously Gibbs White is going to come into contention it'll be a question I guess of who are the unfortunate two not to be in that match day squad of 23, which was something that as you know only too well, Gareth Southgate always found that difficult didn't he? So it was Ramsdale and Kwanzaa along with Gibbs White who were left out on Friday. We'll wait to see who the two are when that squad of 23 is announced ahead of the game

and then once more, a little bit like Friday, the team selection will be interesting. As you've already alluded to does he go with the same goalkeeper what does he do at central defense because when you asked him about does he make the changes he went well yes and no and he also indicated that still three central defenders is a possibility with this one yeah when he talked about the three central defenders he then talked about well that will give you an option of sort of like four attacking players the four at the back gives you the option of five attacking players as was illustrated on Friday

when you've got that hybrid midfielder so we'll just wait to see what shape and what selection he goes with. Right very good thank you Ian very much enjoyed that Declan Rice chat and we will be back together of course at Wembley Monday night for the commentary England against Latvia, Rob Green and Izzy Christensen will also be part of the the on-air team for that so join us for it on Five Live Sport. This is the football story of the century. It's pandemonium, it's ecstasy.

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