Tuchel's press conference remarks sparked heated discussion among fans. He stated that when looking back at the World Cup experience, 99.9% of England fans would not talk about substitutions or tactical decisions, but would only focus on the team's performance. Matt Law, a renowned journalist for The Daily Telegraph, wrote that Tuchel's press conference statements were heavily rehearsed and scripted, and his ideas were unrealistic, suggesting he would not listen to fans' opinions.

Matt Law's original article

For the past two months, the rest of us have presumably been in contact with that 0.1% of England fans.

In Tuchel's perception, 99.9% of England fans only want to talk about the team's highlights: the match against Mexico, the second half against Croatia, and even the comeback against DR Congo.

What about the final thirty minutes against Argentina, when England lost their place in the World Cup final?

Tuchel claimed that only 0.1% of fans would dwell on this.

About a week after the Argentina match, I happened to run into my son's former primary school teacher on the grounds of the Latitude Festival in Suffolk, and she undoubtedly belonged to that minority.

Apart from wishing my son well in his transition to secondary school, she only talked about one thing: why Tuchel was able to keep his coaching position after the collapse against Argentina. I, on the other hand, instinctively defended him, perhaps thinking he hadn't adjusted to the time difference yet.

The same was true for my friends who were with me. While enjoying the music and festival cider, no one was preoccupied with that night at the Estadio Azteca.

Everyone wanted an explanation for Tuchel's tactics.

No one mentioned the matches against Croatia or Congo to me.

If Tuchel's words are true, then I have been interacting with all the "wrong people."

"Let me tell you, about 99.9% of fans don't talk about substitutions, tactical changes, or anything like that," Tuchel said. "They talk about where they watched the Mexico game, the second half of that game, the atmosphere of the Croatia game, how nervous they were watching the Congo game, and where they celebrated.

"That's what the World Cup should be about: connecting people and giving them unforgettable experiences. And that's the feedback I've received from fans."

If he believes fans wouldn't discuss the substitution decisions against Argentina at all, then why did Tuchel seem to have a joke prepared in advance, making light of the situation?

When Tuchel announced his first squad list after the World Cup, FA technical director John McDermott sat in the back row of the press conference room. He laughed along when Tuchel answered questions about the World Cup review.

"Of course, I received a lot of criticism for my substitutions at the time," Tuchel joked. He walked into the media press conference Hall at Wembley with several notes in hand.

This witty remark drew a few chuckles from the audience, but the entire discourse seemed heavily rehearsed. What was even more striking was that Tuchel would glance down at his notes while speaking.

He clearly deliberately steered the conversation toward the positive aspects, and once again brought up the so-called "fan base," citing the victory against France to support his point.

"Looking back at the 6-4 win against France, fans talk about that game and say it was one of their best viewing experiences," Tuchel said. "So perhaps I need to appropriately let go of my desire for control, embrace more uncertainty, and welcome chaos. Maybe that will bring out the best in the team."

The entire speech read like it was scripted, and the ideas were out of touch with reality. But perhaps it was Tuchel's long-standing dealings with high-ranking FA officials that led to this unrealistic perception. Reports have revealed that before the victory against Mexico, high-ranking FA officials had already assured him that his position was secure.

"There was a very special moment before the Mexico game, we had a conversation, and my boss said to me: 'We know anything can happen in football, especially in a World Cup. But you don't need to worry, we understand the current situation and want to continue working together,'" he said.

"As a coach, that moment meant a lot to me. I gained the freedom to make choices and coach freely. I never doubted that we would continue working together, and clearly they had no doubts either.

"Of course, we will conduct critical reviews, but all behind closed doors. I am my harshest critic, and reflection is essential for improvement. Accumulating experience is also a crucial part of a coach's job, and that's where we are right now."

It sounds like Tuchel hasn't really listened to the extensive criticism from outside. He seems to value the opinions of the so-called 99.9% of fans, whose voices are rarely heard externally.

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