HARRY KANE has warned England players that Thomas Tuchel will not shy away from confrontation in his bid to win the World Cup.
The Three Lions captain worked under Tuchel at Bayern Munich last season and says the German will bring great energy, tactical brilliance and an outspoken motivational style when he takes over in the new year.
Tuchel, 51, played at the Allianz Arena for just over a year and fell out with a number of players and the club hierarchy as Bayern failed to win the Bundesliga for the first time in 11 seasons.
And while Kane welcomed Tuchel's appointment, he admits some team-mates will not like the new England boss's abrasive style.
Kane said: “He is very disciplined in what he wants and will not shy away from confrontation if necessary.
“He's quite honest in the way he talks and maybe there were some players [at Bayern] who didn't like it or didn't agree with it.
“But every coach has his own way of talking to players, criticizing players and motivating players, so not every player will love the new manager.
He will be very outspoken in the media and will never shy away from things.
“There will probably be players in March who disagree with some things.
“In every team, every player has an opinion, but ultimately the way he wants us to play will be exciting and I look forward to being reunited with him.”
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Kane, 31, says Tuchel enjoys working with England players and also believes they will appreciate the energy the new manager brings.
The Three Lions talisman said: “He really enjoys working with English players – well, he liked me and Eric Dier!
“But when we spoke to the guys who worked with him at Chelsea, they got on well with him. He likes the mentality of English players.
“He has a good balance of a relaxed environment, but when it comes to his work he is just very passionate and energetic.
“From my experience last year, he did a lot around solidarity and motivational things.
“Whether it's videos or speeches, he's just a really good motivator. Tactically he is known as one of the best, but it is also the energy he brings.
“It will be interesting for him because he will experience having only ten days of camp and then not seeing us for a few months.
“He will want to bring as much energy as possible with him in those ten days.
“He knows how to find the balance between a relaxed environment when you're not training, with a bit of banter and a joke, but when you're on the pitch the focus is complete.
“For international football it is very important to have that energy in short periods of time, especially when you go to big tournaments and are away for six weeks.”
Kane says Tuchel's personality will bring a significant change to the calm approach of Gareth Southgate's eight-year reign.
The captain said: “We know Gareth had a great way of keeping everyone together, but he and Thomas differ in the way they approach training and tactics.
“Everyone has their own stamp and I talk about working with Thomas every day at Bayern, so it can be different when you see him every few months.
“I hope that in March it will be a real injection of energy to lead us to the World Cup.”
Kane admits the announcement of Tuchel's appointment last month came as a shock.
They exchanged texts at the time but will wait until after today's final Nations League match against Ireland to talk about England together.
The Bayern forward explained: “It was a surprise when it was announced. I didn't know it would be him.
“After he left Bayern I assumed he would go to another club, but it was a good surprise because I worked closely with him and know how good he can be.”
When asked why Tuchel was not successful at Bayern, Kane replied: “Many reasons. I think he found it difficult from the moment he joined Bayern.
The results weren't bad and we were very close to reaching a Champions League final. But there were some bigger issues that didn't quite work out for Bayern.
“It was a shame to see him leave because he was a big reason I went to Bayern. Personally, I had a great season and scored a lot of goals.”
Kane himself was in open-handed mode earlier this week when he took down a number of England team-mates who had opted out of international duty.
He returns to the starting XI today after interim boss Lee Carsley named him on the bench for Thursday's 3-0 win in Greece.
And Kane added: “It was just my opinion that England is very important.
“After a major championship, these camps in September, October and November are a bit forgotten in terms of how important they are.
“If we win against Ireland, we will be well prepared for the year ahead.
“These camps build that culture and solidarity that leads you to a World Cup. It was a reminder that playing for England is very special.
“It's one of the best things I do as a player, and I do it whenever I'm available.”
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