12:00, 22 Sep 2025Updated 12:16, 22 Sep 2025<\/p>\n
![\"Jeremy](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1_WhatsApp-Image-2025-03-19-at-213352.jpg\")
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Jeremy joined the Daily Star in 2010 as Manchester football correspondent and for more than a decade has served as our Chief Sports Writer. He provides expert coverage on Manchester United and Manchester City, the Premier League as a whole, and the England football team. Jeremy has covered football, rugby and cricket World Cups, as well as Wimbledon, the golf majors and the Olympics.<\/p>\n
![\"Thomas](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0_England-v-Andorra-FIFA-2026-World-Cup-Qualifying-Group-K-Football-Villa-Park-Birmingham-UK-0.jpg\")
Thomas Tuchel has a problem position with England – but a solution has presented itself(Image: Paul Currie\/Shutterstock)<\/p>\n
Thomas Tuchel doesn’t act like an England manager<\/a> who is in it for the long haul. Quite the opposite, in fact.<\/p>\n And the Football Association are to blame for this, having handed him a short term contract when choosing the German to replace Gareth Southgate.<\/a> The choice smacked of short-term thinking.<\/p>\n A crash-bang-wallop decision of desperation, resulting in FA<\/a> chief executive Mark Bullingham closing his eyes, and keeping everything crossed that Tuchel would somehow win a World Cup in North America next summer. But when Bulingham opens them again, the chances are he will be witnessing England heading home, having failed to reach the final stages of the tournament. And what happens then?<\/p>\n READ MORE: Ballon d’Or 2025: How does the voting work and who are the favourites to win?<\/a>READ MORE: Declan Rice pinpoints moment Arsenal knew they’d gained Pep Guardiola’s respect<\/a><\/p>\n Tuchel disappears into the darkness, richer than he was before arriving on the scene, but none the wiser when it comes to solving the greatest puzzle in English football. All of the above makes the following argument sound somewhat futile. But Tuchel should start acting like a manager who cares about the future of the Three Lions<\/a> long after he’s gone.<\/p>\n Someone willing to do what is best for himself, but also the poor bloke chosen next to replace him. Southgate might have been hell-bent on winning a major tournament, but he never lost sight of putting foundations in place. But the one position he struggled to nail down was left back.<\/p>\n And it remains a problem Tuchel has inherited. Which might explain why he has attempted to shoehorn right backs like Reece James and Tino Livramento into the role on the opposite flank.<\/p>\n But a possible answer to one of Tuchel’s most vexing questions has emerged, in the shape of Nico O’Reilly. The novice produced the performance of a seasoned veteran in Manchester City’s clash at Arsenal on Sunday. <\/a>Keeping the likes of Jurrien Timber and Bukayo Saka subdued is no mean feat.<\/p>\n Let alone for someone who is still just 20, and was making his 13th Premier League appearance. But O’Reilly, who can also operate in midfield, has a rare maturity beyond his years. And it is something Tuchel has to explore and exploit.<\/p>\n A note of caution needs to be observed. Not least because another fine prospect, in the shape of Miles Lewis-Skelly, has come and gone in a flash. In the space of six months, the teenager has gone from being Arsenal’s new superstar and the youngest player in history to score on his senior England debut, to not getting a kick for club and country.<\/p>\n Tuchel gave him four caps, then ditched him from his squad like a piece of rubbish, for the recent win in Serbia. He didn’t even make the substitute’s bench. A place from where Lewis-Skelly sat and watched O’Reilly excel at the Emirates, in the most pressurised of games.<\/p>\n O’Reilly is developing into a special talent. And he has to be named in Tuchel’s next England squad, for next month’s games against Wales and Latvia. With respect to both nations, these two matches appear ideal for someone like O’Reilly to gain some international experience at the highest level.<\/p>\n The clock is ticking down towards the World Cup, and time has come for Tuchel to find out if O’Reilly is ready to take that next step. O’Reilly has earned the trust of Pep Guardiola. And if he’s good enough for him, then he’s definitely good enough for Tuchel.<\/p>\n Luke Donald can bring home the Ryder Cup and earn legendary status<\/strong><\/p>\n Luke Donald was quite an understated golfer in his prime. The Englishman won 17 times on various Tours during his career, and even became world No.1 back in 2011.<\/p>\n Which was quite an achievement, looking back, considering a certain Tiger Woods was around, albeit nowhere near his peak due to injuries and personal problems. But Donald never won one of the Majors and went about his business in such a routine and nondescript manner, that he perhaps never got the recognition or adulation he deserved.<\/p>\n But this could all change if Donald leads Team Europe to a Ryder Cup victory in New York later this week. No team has triumphed on foreign soil since Europe produced the ‘Miracle at Medinah’ in Chicago back in 2012.<\/p>\n That’s how hard it has become. But Donald and his team head to Bethpage Black looking to defend the trophy they won in such style in Rome two years ago. And if Donald can somehow secure back-to-back wins over Team USA, he will elevate himself to one of the true greats of Ryder Cup history.<\/p>\n Whether he likes the attention or not.<\/p>\n Join our new WhatsApp community<\/a> and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.<\/a><\/p>\n Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package<\/p>\n This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more<\/a> \u00a349<\/p>\n \u00a335<\/p>\n Sky<\/p>\n![\"Nico](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0_Arsenal-v-Manchester-City-Premier-League.jpg\")
Nico O’Reilly of Manchester City gets to grips with Bukayo Saka(Image: Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"Content](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0_Sky-Factbox.jpg\")
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