“You need somebody who is less predictable” - Ex-Chelsea striker warns England boss Tuchel about Harry Kane ‘problem’ at 2026 World Cup
Former Chelsea striker Chris Sutton has urged incoming England boss Thomas Tuchel to find a solid alternative for Harry Kane ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The pundit highlighted that the England striker never made runs behind the defenders, which made him highly predictable on the pitch.
Writing in his Daily Mail column, Sutton pointed out that Kane liked dropping deep, which in turn helped the opposition defenders. They didn't have to look over their shoulders to see if he was making a run, making the Englishman's moves predictable.
Sutton has urged the incoming manager to think hard about starting Kane or using his other options at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He wrote:
"Kane never runs in behind. That makes him predictable. When he drops deep he's brilliant on the half turn, but you need players to stretch backlines because you don't want to be predictable. Whether it's Noni Madueke, Anthony Gordon or Bellingham, you have to have that threat and you have to have it throughout the whole game. When Kane plays, England become predictable because as a defender, you know he's going to drop in and not stretch it the other way. Over the next 18 months, I don't think his physicality or athleticism is going to improve."
"There was a moment in the second half at Wembley on Sunday where a ball was played into the channel and he wasn't ever going to get there. So Tuchel needs to think about whether Kane will be the best guy to lead the line at the World Cup. I'm not so sure he will be. I have total respect for him, the way he's carried himself for his whole career. He is a phenomenal goalscorer and finisher. But if you're not creating opportunities for him, then it can become a problem and you need somebody who is less predictable," he added.
England appointed Thomas Tuchel as their new manager after Gareth Southgate left his post following the EURO 2024 final loss to Spain. The former Chelsea manager was a free agent after Bayern Munich sacked him at the end of the 2023/24 season.
Thomas Tuchel to take charge of England until World Cup 2026
Thomas Tuchel was officially announced as the next England manager in October. He will be taking charge from January 1 next year, with the team playing under interim boss Lee Carlsey since Southgate's departure.
The Three Lions flourished in the UEFA Nations League matches under Carlsey. They won five and lost just once, scoring 16 goals and conceding thrice in the process.
England finished as the table toppers with 15 points in their Nations League group and entered the knockout stages. Thomas Tuchel will be taking over from the next set of games, with his first game scheduled for March. He will remain in charge until the end of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.