England press conference LIVE: Thomas Tuchel on Cole Palmer missing camps, Harry Kane quotes

England eye revenge

England v Spain (Sat, 19:45 BST)

England have lost six of their past nine meetings with Spain, but it was the most recent of those defeats that hurt the most.

Spain prevailed 2-1 in the final of Uefa Euro 2024 in Berlin, marking the second Euros in a row England had fallen at the final hurdle.

Nico Williams gave Spain the lead early in the second half before Mikel Oyarzabal cancelled out Cole Palmer's equaliser four minutes before full-time.

Kane provides contract update

England v Spain (Sat, 19:45 BST)

England

England captain Harry Kane, asked about ongoing talks with Bayern Munich over a new contract: "Talks are going well. They are progressing in the right way and both sides have been very relaxed about it. Everyone can see I am happy there. I am hoping something gets done.

"In terms of how it is affecting me mentally, I just get on with these kind of things. I like to take seasons as they come. Over this camp I am concentrating more on being with England. Those talks can hold fire, it's for the team behind me to talk and do those things.

"Over the next month or so there should be some sort of decision and I think it will be a positive one."

'I feel the focus is coming back'

England v Spain (Sat, 19:45 BST)

England

England manager Thomas Tuchel on the new, extended international break: "No, I am not in favour of it. After a long tournament, having another long period together is very demanding emotionally and physically for the players.

"I think the players would have loved three short windows. I can hardly think of a period in club football where you have matches and a turnaround like we have now. We have Saturday-Tuesday and then another Saturday-Tuesday, so only two days in between each game. That sounds too condensed if you have two-and-a-half weeks together. It does not feel 100 per cent right, I have to say. But it is what it is. We have this window and we have used the time for some very good training sessions so far, and we want to add one more to that.

"It is also the first time for me doing a camp after a major tournament and, as I said, there can be a bit of a mix of emotions. We have not seen each other since the tournament and there is a new tournament going on, so there are a lot of mixed emotions and a lot of different influences in this camp. But the longer it goes on, the more I feel the focus is coming back, and playing against the reigning world champions tomorrow will help."

'We have strengths Spain don't have' - Kane

England v Spain (Sat, 19:45 BST)

England

England captain Harry Kane, asked if he agrees with Anthony Gordon about 'playing to their strengths' rather than a Spanish style: "I get what he's saying. It's culture for Spain, playing a certain style from five, six or seven years old years old until they're professionals. In England it's not so much like that.

"It doesn't mean we can't play under pressure or keep the ball, we still have a lot of amazing technical players - but we have a lot of strengths that they don't have; physicality, pace and power. They way we press and win duels, a lot of Premier League style football in a way.

"I think at our best we combine both. We're not just a team that play like Spain but we have a lot of strengths that we can showcase tomorrow."

Palmer absence is a 'missed opportunity'

England v Spain (Sat, 19:45 BST)

England

More from England manager Thomas Tuchel on Cole Palmer: "For sure. It is a missed opportunity. He misses too many opportunities. I don't blame him for it. It is just a fact. He misses way too many camps with injuries, and I only want to rely on what I witness and see within in my team, and for that you have to be in camp. And if you're not in camp, there is a next level to impress that you cannot achieve because you can only do it when you are actually on the pitch with me. So yes, it is a missed opportunity."

'We focus on the guys who want to play for England'

England v Spain (Sat, 19:45 BST)

England

England manager Thomas Tuchel on Cole Palmer's absence: "My understanding is that he is playing with discomfort and pain, and he cannot compete at the highest level with discomfort and pain. So he withdrew and informed us, and Chelsea informed us. That is my understanding.

"We are not managing load. When I was in club football, I used the term 'international break' and, when you hear it from the other side, it is a totally different picture. This is not an international break, and I think that is what we have created now.

"It is a competitive environment, but it is also an environment that the players love to be a part of. That is what togetherness and brotherhood look like, and that is what we have created since last September in qualifying. We will never compromise on that.

"We will never let it creep in that we have a feeling players do not want to come. It is fair enough. We focus on the guys who absolutely want to play for England."

'You have to make sure you are available'

England v Spain (Sat, 19:45 BST)

England

England manager Thomas Tuchel asked if he is worried his players are prioritising clubs before country: "First of all, we trust our players and, second of all, I think the players know that if you miss a camp and someone else performs well in your position, the competition will always be on. The door will always be open and you have to make sure you are available and produce top-level performances in camp. If you do so, it counts for something. I think right now it is not on my list of worries. I am not wired like this. It is what it is.

"From the moment I arrived at SGP [St George's Park] on Monday, my full focus was on the staff who arrived on the same day. When the players walked through the door on Tuesday, my focus was 100 per cent on them and this is what they deserve, and this is how I am wired. There is no threat, there is no distrust and there is no threat of consequences. It will come naturally.

"I truly believe that we have the opposite problem at the moment. Everyone is desperate to come. You will talk to our captain [Harry Kane], who has played the most minutes for club and country, and is happy to be here while some of them are enjoying a seven or 10-day break. He wants to be here. That is the role model and the vibe we have here at the moment."

'We have a plan for Spain's style'

England v Spain (Sat, 19:45 BST)

England

England manager Thomas Tuchel on whether Spain's possession-based style of play gives them an advantage: "I think it is an advantage in general. Not only against us, but against everyone. This is how they play. I think they rely on that. This is how they train and they were brought up. This is clearly part of them.

"But at the moment, I think the more you analyse Spain and their last matches they played in, you have to admire the way in which they defend. They added this to their game. It is collective work and they are masters of delaying and pushing you towards wide areas where they can initiate the press.

"They have world class goalkeepers, as you know - three of them - but they are hardly tested. It is so difficult for every single team in the world to create chances against them. We have a plan and we have ambition, and we want to prove the opposite. We want to be the exception to the rule, but at the moment they are a very complete team."

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