MIAMI, United States, July 17 (Xinhua) -- England head coach Thomas Tuchel has defended his tactical decisions following a World Cup semifinal exit, insisting that his side is on a long-term mission to "close the gap" with the world's elite.
Reflecting on the 2-1 defeat to Argentina, Tuchel responded to the criticism regarding England's late-game passivity. "I view them in the same way - that we were too passive," he said on Friday.
However, the coach refused to apologize for switching to a back-five system. "I don't regret my decisions. I took several decisions trusting my instinct, my intuition and my experience... I would regret it if I didn't help, if we didn't react."
Tuchel took full responsibility for the result. "If someone takes the blame, I take the blame," he said. "I am the head coach. I will not engage in the 'blame game' because for me there is no one to blame. We feel the most pain of all, and it is our scar that we carry now."
The German also pointed to physical fatigue as a major factor. "The players literally gave everything physically. Argentina found another gear... they have the experience of winning titles together. This came into play."
Looking ahead to Saturday's third-place playoff against France, Tuchel described it as a test of the team's mental resilience.
"Nobody wants to be in this game tomorrow, but it is a chance to have the best result in 60 years for England," Tuchel said. "We have a gap to close. France, Spain and Argentina expect to win; we are still dreaming and pushing. But we will not stop hunting." ■
