Hall: Hollicek is a good player, but we're hoping to keep him quiet tomorrow

On September 30 at 2:45 AM CEST, England will face the Czech Republic in an away UEFA Nations League Group A2 match. Ahead of the fixture, England defender Lewis Hall attended a press conference. This article covers the first part of that press conference.

Lewis, great to see you again!

Hello everyone.

Actually, we know you missed some training last week, so it's great to see you back on the pitch today. How are you feeling physically right now, and how is your recovery progressing?

Honestly, I'm doing very well. As you said, I didn't miss much training. So I'm feeling great now and I'm really looking forward to tomorrow's match.

After the World Cup, how important is the Nations League at this stage for you personally?

It's always very important. I think every country is proud to have the best team, and that's a goal we want to reach. So I see this as a competition we'll do our best to win. But whenever you represent your country, whenever you put on the national shirt, it's important to play well and show your strengths and qualities. That's what we're working towards.

Hello, you've only had two sessions under Thomas Tuchel now, so what exactly has he told you about this training camp? What are you generally expecting to demonstrate?

Yes, I think that's quite interesting, because the whole squad spent about seven weeks together over the summer—or however long it was exactly—and we built great chemistry. Plus, everyone understands the coach's tactical requirements well. So for me, the most important thing is to integrate into the system and routine, understand all the instructions and information, and then when I get the chance to play... do the right things.

You were selected for the training camp before the World Cup this March, and people have been debating it ever since. Regarding the left-back position for England, do you see this as an opportunity to make your own mark, especially when someone might miss time through injury? Isn't that something we see quite often—players seizing opportunities and making a position their own?

Yes, exactly what you just said. Whenever injuries or unexpected situations arise, it creates opportunities for other players to show what they can do. But over the past couple of years, there have been quite a few qualified left-backs who have played in this position. Regardless, whenever I get the chance, I'll give everything.

What are your expectations for the Czech Republic?

We expect this to be a very difficult match. We know they're a nation with great pride. And whenever you play international matches—from my experience and from watching matches throughout my life—international matches are always very difficult, and we're really looking forward to this encounter.

What can you tell us about your Newcastle teammate Lukáš Hollicek? Have you been in contact with him or exchanged messages?

Yes, he's clearly a very good goalkeeper. We know him well from the club. But tomorrow we'll do our best to win, and while he's a very good player, we're hoping he doesn't have a great game tomorrow.

Lewis, you've waited a long time for another chance to play. Looking back at your performance record from this season and most of last season, your defensive performances in the Premier League have been of a high standard. We know your ambition and desire to play for your country. Has it been difficult to wait on the sidelines, especially after missing out on the World Cup squad?

Yes, when you maintain good form throughout a season—which I felt I did last season—I think anyone in a similar situation would feel disappointment and regret at not being selected. But I'm trying to use that feeling as motivation to come back. Yes, I believe I can show myself here and change things. I'm looking forward to the upcoming matches.

Can you tell us what was discussed in the review after the Spain match? Thomas mentioned that for about 30 minutes in the middle of the match, England played the best football we haven't seen in a long time, and then for two other 30-minute periods, Spain showed their top quality. It was a match we could have won with a penalty, but could also have lost if they'd scored four in the first 30 minutes. How do you sum all that up? What was discussed in training?

Yes, I think that's what you do after every match—you review and summarize. And as you said earlier, we... had a lot to learn from throughout the match. I think we can be proud of the effort we showed and our level of play. And as is often the case in football, sometimes matches can be decided by small errors or fine margins. But we're very proud of the performance we showed that day and we'll build on that.

For the Nations League objectives, this feels like a match you have to win, doesn't it? Because of the earlier loss and because you're only playing six matches in the group stage...

Yes, I agree. I believe every Nations League match is a must-win, a decisive match. We're about to play one away match against Spain, and I think when we play at our best, nobody can compete with us. So there's no reason we can't win all five remaining matches in this group.

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