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Thomas Tuchel has issued a stark warning that "the competition is on" for spots in England's World Cup squad. The manager insisted he isn't even contemplating the prospect of omitting high-profile names such as Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish and Cole Palmer.
His sole concentration remains on the players who netted five against Serbia and three versus Wales, significantly intensifying the pressure ahead of next summer's tournament. It's evidently going to be an arduous journey back for those omitted, as the likes of Morgan Rogers and Elliot Anderson have capitalised on their chances.
When questioned about what he hoped the absent big names took from England's victory over Wales, Tuchel responded: "At the moment, it is only about the players who are in camp. And this is also where our focus goes. The door is always open for anyone to jump in. The competition is on."
This served as a challenge to Bellingham and his contemporaries, though Tuchel showed his lighter side when asked whether he could envisage all the major names relegated to the bench at the World Cup.
Tuchel remarked: "You think too much. You imagine too much. Maybe they all have the flu! I know where you are going with that. But can we acknowledge that Morgan did amazing, the team did amazing and he buys into that.
"He is a humble player. He is a physical player. And he is a very talented player, of course. And in a good way. We need more than just 11 at the moment. This was a starting XI."
Could Tuchel ever consider omitting Bellingham, Palmer and Foden from a World Cup squad? His response was enlightening, as he's not focused on individual names but rather the collective team.
"I am sorry but I don't follow that mindset," Tuchel stated. "I am a football coach to coach the team that I nominate. And that is where my focus is.
"But with all of this, I would say let's cross the river when we are at the river. It does not help anyone if we think in bubbles about what can happen and what cannot happen.
"I am still absolutely convinced the guys who were in Serbia and against Andorra last camp deserve to be in this camp and this is where the focus has to be and they deserve the respect and they put out another great performance against Wales.
"We had four changes from the match in Serbia. We were forced to do four changes but it was seamless and everyone who started played with the same energy.
"Listen, we only had one-and-half days to prepare so I am happy with the camp until here. Happy that we can prove another point. Next camp is the next nomination."
His comment about "proving another point" was clearly directed at those questioning his decision to exclude Bellingham, Foden and Grealish from this squad while Palmer remains injured. It's hard to fathom leaving England's top player, Real Madrid's Bellingham, out of the squad for next summer's World Cup.
However, Tuchel has certainly thrown down the gauntlet. England could potentially secure their qualification in Latvia on Tuesday - provided other results fall in their favour - before taking on Serbia and Albania next month.
They also have two friendlies scheduled at Wembley next March.
Tuchel will announce his squad prior to their departure for the United States, and with time ticking away, he emphasises the importance of every training session, camp, and match. But it's not just about skill; character plays a significant role too.
When asked if the door was still open, Tuchel responded: "Let's play a second game and then we decide. The nomination comes and then there is always an open door for top quality, top character. We are in October now so we go step-by-step."
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