Allardyce: Maguire Should Think Twice About England Call-ups After Tuchel's "Insulting" Assessment

Harry Maguire's return to the England setup during the latest international window has not translated into the backing he might have hoped for, with Thomas Tuchel's post-match comments about the Manchester United man sparking a debate over whether the defender should continue answering his country's call.

The centre-back, operating under an arrangement with United, lined up alongside Fikayo Tomori in Friday's 1-1 stalemate with Uruguay. By most measures, he acquitted himself well in his first outing under Tuchel's watch, yet the England manager made clear afterwards that the display had done nothing to shift his thinking.

"I got exactly what I thought, solid, solid central-defender play," Tuchel reflected. "That's what he does. Very good on the ball, very calm, strong in the air and in the weapon for set-pieces. I haven't changed my mind, but I see other players I like to start for us, I see other players ahead with a different profile."

The manager went on to outline his pecking order, citing Ezri Konsa, Marc Guehi, and Trevoh Chalobah as defenders he favours, whilst also noting John Stones' place in the thinking despite recent injury troubles. Tuchel did concede that Maguire represents a valuable asset for tournament football and set-piece situations.

Such a measured, if rather cool, endorsement has prompted Sam Allardyce to wade into the debate. The former England boss, speaking to Footy Accumulators, suggested Maguire might do well to think carefully before accepting future invitations.

"It's a bit harsh," Allardyce said. "Harry endured such a difficult time at Manchester United when the club tried to belittle him – especially the manager at the time. He's lost his captaincy, his place in the England squad, and has been criticised so heavily in the last few years. He's taken every criticism on the chin and is proving everyone wrong.

"If I was in Harry's position, I'd reconsider going with the camp at all. Perhaps to his own detriment, Harry has said that Tuchel's comments would cause no problem. It makes you wonder whether he's too nice!"

Rio Ferdinand, the United legend, stopped short of Allardyce's position but nonetheless took issue with Tuchel's framing. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ferdinand suggested the language used bordered on disrespectful.

"I think Harry Maguire will take that as an insult in some respect," Ferdinand observed. "He will be sitting there and think, 'Hold on a minute, I'm more than this.' In Tuchel's eyes, he uses the word mobility. Other guys have more. I get what he's saying. No one has to agree with it."