After leading his team to a resounding 7-0 away victory against Croatia in the third round of the UEFA Nations League group stage, England manager Tuchel attended a press conference. This article covers the latter half of the press conference.

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Hi, Thomas, congratulations. This is clearly your biggest winning margin as a coach so far. Was this also your best performance as a coach?

Yes, I think so. It was a complete and comprehensive performance throughout the 90 minutes.

So why did everything seem to click so perfectly tonight? It wasn't a completely different starting XI, and the tactics didn't seem to have undergone drastic changes. So what made everything work so well?

I don't know, that's just how it is. We had time to build something, and then three days later it will be a new tactical setup, a completely different game. We always felt very comfortable and at ease in our building process; we didn't change much in the specific procedures of how we prepare the team. I think I'm just convinced that we've accumulated a lot of experience together now: we've gone through qualifiers together, big tournaments together, shared huge positive emotions together, and also endured great pain together.

So we understand each other and the players better, knowing what to demand and how to motivate everyone. As I said, from the very beginning of this training camp, there has been a good atmosphere and high morale again, and it's great to see this momentum building. Today was truly a day where every piece of the puzzle fell perfectly into place. In three days, it will be a completely different game. Now, of course, is the time to enjoy the victory. Tomorrow will be a recovery day, followed by the final game of this training camp. We must remain hungry, stay humble, and get the players ready to go again.

May I quickly ask, what did you think of the atmosphere tonight with so many children in attendance?

Very unique. I'm delighted that the children could be here, and I'm happy to see them have the opportunity to watch their idols in person. There were so many Modrić jerseys in the stadium, which was truly fantastic. However, it was indeed a very unusual and special match atmosphere.

Hi, Thomas, how much do you think Gordon has changed over the past few months? It's obvious that he seems to be playing with more sharpness and aggression now...

Yes, he's playing with much more sharpness and an abundance of confidence. You can see a player full of confidence and belief, performing at a very high standard. He has definitely found a new level and a higher gear, looking very confident and extremely decisive in all three games.

Can I ask about his partnership with Lewis Hall? They seemed to link up very smoothly on the left flank, an area where there was previously uncertainty about who would secure a starting spot. If we view the past few days' matches as an audition for the future, it feels like they...

(Interruption) Yes, but I don't want to rule out Nico O'Reilly, because he played for us in the first game, and Lewis has now played two good games. Of course, he really enjoys playing as an attacking full-back; he has excellent footwork, loves to control the ball, plays incredibly calmly and neatly, and also enjoys those dynamic runs and overlaps. He combines very well with Gordon; they've played together for many seasons, so you can see that in the coordination and understanding of their movements. Yes, this obviously helps Gordon a lot, and Lewis has delivered two very good performances.

Hi, Thomas, congratulations. Kane said after the game that it was a Premier League-level match, and the team tried to adopt a Premier League style of play. I know you've mentioned before that this might be the way forward, and Gordon and Kane have also expressed similar views. Were you surprised tonight by how quickly the team absorbed and implemented this football philosophy?

Yes, but this is the football they want to play themselves. This is their belief, their desire, and their firm conviction. So it's not something we had to persuade them to do; it's purely the way they want to play. Kane himself plays high-intensity football at Bayern Munich. Yes, we still believe that if we press high and apply man-to-man high pressure in the opponent's half as frequently as possible, we can have a unique advantage. This is what the team loves, what the players desire and are willing to fully embrace.

Of course, there are certain risks involved, and we need to mitigate and manage these risks through high-intensity running and covering for each other, because man-to-man marking doesn't mean blindly going one-on-one without protection everywhere. If you observe today's game, when a direct interception isn't possible during man-to-man pressing, the movement of players on the opposite side is always towards the ball, ready to cover and assist. So it always requires teamwork, but the team has this belief and desire to play this way, and we encourage them; it's not something we impose on the team.

However, I still want to ask one last question: I suppose this is the tactical blueprint for the future, isn't it?

Yes, of course it is, but there's also a danger here – because the next game will be completely different. We shouldn't have overly high expectations or blindly expect to score seven goals every time or create so many chances every time. We will face completely different games ahead; the next match will be entirely different. This is why I mainly focus on the team's attitude, their running effort, and their efficiency as a collective, and today these were all at the highest level.

As long as we maintain this, we can also overcome other difficult matches, because that's the nature of football: nothing comes easy, and if it looks easy, there must have been hard work behind it. We must reset, we must remain humble, and that's why I really like our attitude and the way the players performed. I think the attitude was also at the highest level, and I'm very happy about that. Now I hope everyone takes recovery seriously and gets ready for the final stage of this training camp cycle.

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