Tuch has taken the mother of all gambles

THOMAS TUCHEL may or may not have intended it, but in publicly taking on Jude Bellingham, he has made it clear who the boss is in the England dressing room.

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How that works out for the German coach of the Three Lions, we will find out over the next 12 months.

Because there is no doubt that Bellingham's influence has grown considerably at international level since he became a Champions League winner with Real Madrid.

Harry Kane may be the goalscoring captain and long-serving talisman for England, but Bellingham is now the jewel.

It was back in November when Bellingham sat in front of the media at Anfield ahead of Real's Champions League clash with Liverpool.

Many expected the press conference to be dominated about why he wasn't wearing the red of the Merseysiders after he had been so long linked to a move to the club.

Yet it turned into a defence of his performances at the Euros the previous summer and why he felt he was the "scapegoat" of the team.