Tuchel’s Spence tantrums worry Terry ahead of World Cup

Tuchel’s tantrums – John Terry says Thomas Tuchel’s repeated anger toward Djed Spence leaves him worried the England boss chose Spence for the World Cup because he’s easier to “dig out” than bigger names like Trent Alexander-Arnold. Terry points to Spence being berated in games a

Thomas Tuchel’s sideline bursts may be familiar to anyone who has watched him up close, but John Terry believes the pattern around Djed Spence stands out too sharply to ignore.

Terry. the former England and Chelsea captain. told Piers Morgan’s World Cup Uncensored show that he has seen “images and videos” of Tuchel going “mad at Spence again” during the throw-in in England’s match against DR Congo. Terry stopped short of claiming Tuchel is deliberately singling the Tottenham full-back out. but he said the intensity looks like a “proper dig.”.

“I don’t know if you’ve seen the images and the videos of him going mad at Spence again in the game from the throw-in [against DR Congo]. I’m not saying he’s picking him out – but he seems like he’s having a proper dig at him,” Terry said.

What has Terry genuinely concerned is the gap between Tuchel’s treatment of Spence and what he believes Tuchel would do to an established star. Terry described his reaction when he imagines the same behaviour directed at Trent Alexander-Arnold. He said he is “a little bit worried. ” adding: “When I see this. I’m like. if that’s Trent. I’m not sure he’s behaving like that; I’m not sure he’s talking to Trent like that.”.

Terry’s theory runs through the heart of Tuchel’s World Cup squad decisions. Tuchel has justified leaving out players including Alexander-Arnold. Cole Palmer. and Phil Foden by pointing to squad harmony. yet Terry thinks the way the manager handles younger or less established figures tells another story.

“And maybe that’s a decision [explanation] of why he’s picked a couple of these players, because he can go like that to these younger players or these new players in the squad, for me. That’s interesting,” Terry said.

Morgan challenged the premise directly, asking whether it would be a harder fight with a bigger personality. Terry’s response turned the lens back toward Spence himself. He described the Tottenham full-back as “a bit of a cocky little sod. ” pointing to moments that suggest Spence doesn’t operate like a player who would instantly deflect pressure. Terry said Spence is the type who “wouldn’t shake Thomas Frank’s hand. ” and he referenced an incident where Spence was “hooked off the pitch” and then chose to make a point by coming back on and sticking out his hand.

“I’m not his fan. I don’t think he’s a good defender, I don’t think he’s a good footballer. He’s played in a really struggling Spurs side this year,” Terry added. “But I will say I’ve not seen Tuchel do that to anyone else. It just seems to be on two or three occasions he’s dug Spence out.”

For Terry, the most telling part isn’t only the anger—it’s the inconsistency that follows it. He said the manager “then relied on him and played him again,” calling it “kind of mixed messaging.”

Spence’s World Cup involvement so far has been hard to dismiss. He has played in all four of England’s World Cup games, starting the ones against Ghana and DR Congo, giving Tuchel’s selection a visible footprint rather than something buried behind the scenes.

The match details Terry referenced place the manager’s temperament directly into a high-pressure moment. After DR Congo’s opening goal squeezed past Jordan Pickford at the near post in the seventh minute. Tuchel threw his water bottle on the floor in rage. Terry later described Spence as the target in a separate, repeated outburst from a throw-in during the game.

Tuchel’s frustrations have not been confined to Spence. He also berated Pickford for his distribution in the first game against Croatia and called over Noni Madueke after only a few minutes to deliver intense instructions.

That touchline intensity has long been part of Tuchel’s reputation—explosive rather than timid—but Terry believes the wider history adds weight to his concern. He said Tuchel’s public spats and strained relationships have included Antonio Conte, Kylian Mbappe, and Romelu Lukaku.

Terry pointed to a recent example of how Tuchel pushes his standards with real emotional edge. He noted that Tuchel had to apologise for saying that his mother finds Jude Bellingham’s behaviour “repulsive.” Terry also stressed that Tuchel’s carrot-and-stick approach with the Real Madrid midfielder—leaving him out of camps last year—has helped produce good performances from Bellingham.

But the questions Terry is raising now feel less about whether Tuchel demands more, and more about who gets to be treated that way. He believes Tuchel may not handle an established name with the same volume or anger.

The stakes of that view sharpen when the Real Madrid star is brought into the conversation. Terry argues that Tuchel wouldn’t treat Alexander-Arnold in the same way. and he links that to why the player was excluded from the squad. Tuchel left Alexander-Arnold out, while Spence—who has 10 caps—has started and played every England World Cup match so far.

Terry also referenced Alexander-Arnold’s tournament story in the final stages of the first games England are linked to here: Alexander-Arnold was “hooked in the second half” of their last-32 clash after struggling against DR Congo winger Brian Cipenga. despite being asked to play at right-back. a less familiar role.

Tuchel’s temperament, from bottle-throwing to on-the-touchline instruction, is not new. What Terry finds unsettling is that it appears to be directed with particular frequency at Spence, then followed by the decision to pick him again.

Between those choices lies a tension Terry can’t shake: is this the management style of a coach who believes pressure creates performance. or is it simply the comfort of targeting players who feel more controllable?. The training and match footage Terry referenced has given his question an edge—and for England. it lands with the World Cup ongoing. where every selection choice carries consequences far beyond training ground arguments.

John Terry Thomas Tuchel Djed Spence Trent Alexander-Arnold England World Cup DR Congo Ghana World Cup Uncensored Tottenham Real Madrid Jude Bellingham Jordan Pickford