I’M BEN CHILL WELL
Gentle Tuch got England star mojo back
BEN CHILWELL has revealed how a heart-toheart with Thomas Tuchel helped him get over his Euros hangover.
Chilwell finished last season on a high by winning the Champions League but did not play a minute for England in the Euro Championships – before being overlooked for Chelsea’s opening six Premier League games.
He was forced to self -isolate along with team-mate Mason Mount during the Euros and Tuchel claimed the full-back was left “mentally exhausted”, despite not playing.
But as he prepares to face Albania at Wembley tomorrow night – with Declan Rice missing out due to illness – Chilwell has revealed how Tuchel’s man-management helped him regain his starting place at Chelsea. “Me and the manager had a very honest conversation,” he said.
“I was so eager to get back playing football, it was maybe coming across that I wanted it a bit too much.
“He did say to me, ‘I feel like mentally at the moment, in training, you’re pushing a bit too much to try and get back in the team – we love you here, we know the qualities you possess, just relax a little bit, you’re going to get back in’.
“Which was brilliant to hear and then it was just about being patient and making sure I was ready so that when I was called upon I could do my best. It was difficult. These are things that are going to happen to players in their career, where they have low moments, high moments.
“I was disappointed I wasn’t playing in such a massive competition in England – I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t.”
Chilwell was forced to selfisolate after coming into contact with Billy Gilmour, who went down with Covid after the Scotland game. Chilwell added: “It’s not nice having to isolate, especially when all your friends are outside playing football. “But I got to experience everything – which was an unbelievable time with an unbelievable group of players, staff, fans. “So I felt 100 per cent part of an amazing time.”