FIFA’s response to Tuchel’s row with photographers
Thomas Tuchel is unlikely to be appeased by FIFA’s attempt to resolve his row with photographers after England’s World Cup opener, despite football’s governing body moving swiftly to alter pre-match procedures, reports BritPanorama.
The England manager was left furious before Wednesday night’s thrilling 4-2 victory over Croatia after photographers blocked his view of the Three Lions during the national anthem, forcing him to watch the moment unfold on a giant screen instead.
FIFA have since responded by tweaking arrangements for Thursday’s fixtures, with photographers instructed to stand closer together while coaching staff are expected to move to either side of the dugout area.
However, according to the Daily Mail, the compromise may fail to satisfy Tuchel. The German is unlikely to react positively to any proposal requiring him to shift away from his position in the technical area, meaning FIFA could yet be forced to come up with an alternative solution.
One option under consideration would be to move photographers to one side of the pitch altogether, similar to the setup regularly used at Wembley. At England’s national stadium, photographers taking pictures during the anthems are positioned between the two dugouts, ensuring both coaching teams have an unobstructed view of their players.
That was not possible in Dallas, where limited space around the benches created problems for officials. Video footage from the touchline showed Tuchel confronting photographers moments before kick-off. “Very close guys, you’re very close. You’re very close I cannot see anything,” he said, visibly frustrated.
The 52-year-old spread his arms in exasperation and appeared ready to navigate through the crowd before linking arms with members of his coaching staff as the anthem began. Unable to catch sight of his players, Tuchel turned his attention to the stadium’s big screen instead.
“It was a very, very special moment today, and I was standing in front of 50 photographers half a metre away and I could not see one single player,” he added. “It ruined a little bit my experience.”
The issue could resurface over the coming days, with England’s next two World Cup matches set to be played in Boston and New York. Both venues were built primarily for NFL teams and have similarly restricted areas surrounding the dugouts, raising the prospect of further tension unless FIFA can find a solution that keeps Tuchel content.
England were impressive in their 4-2 win over Croatia on Wednesday, with Harry Kane scoring twice, and Jude Bellingham along with Marcus Rashford also contributing to the tally as they got their campaign off to a flying start. As for Tuchel, the demands of managing in the World Cup spotlight are matched only by the challenges that come with navigating the often chaotic world of football’s media landscape.
