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For Bellingham to wants to force his way back into England’s top starting eleven, it would be smart to do away with the dramatics. His reaction upon realizing that the substitute board was going up following a night of uneven play in the match against Albania was unacceptable.

"I don’t want to overstate it but I stick to my words 'behaviour is key' and respect towards the teammates who enter the game," stated Tuchel. "Decisions are made and you must accept them when you're on the field."

The midfielder must understand. There was no call for an outburst. Harry Kane had recently scored to make England two goals ahead in a meaningless match, the game had six minutes to go and he, who had not played particularly well, had just been booked for a foul on an opponent. It was not a debatable decision. In fact it might have been reckless for Tuchel to leave Bellingham on given that there was a risk Bellingham would be suspended of the first match of the competition by picking up a second caution.

Drawing Attention to Himself

However, the player drew all eyes toward himself. No one could overlook the young midfielder's disappointment upon understanding that he was going to make way for another player. His arms went up in exasperation and even though he accepted the coach's hand on his way to the touchline it was clear that Tuchel was not impressed.

This represents the hurdle facing Bellingham. He applauded Marcus Rashford for sending in the ball for the captain to nod home the team's second, but the rest was harmful to his cause. There was no chance protesting was going to reverse the substitution. The coach has stressed repeatedly respecting team hierarchies and the value of acting professionally.

In the Spotlight

He, left out of the previous squad, has faced close inspection after returning to the squad in the current camp. In effect he was being assessed and he hasn't helped his case by reacting to coming off the pitch as England rounded off a ideal group stage by overcoming a feisty challenge from the Albanian team.

The Coach's Plan

As a result it's unclear on how the squad function at their best when Bellingham plays. The performance was open to interpretation. Tuchel tried new things by the coach in the beginning. He has given England a clear system lately, employing a holding player, a central midfielder, an attacking midfielder and specialist wingers, but there was a different feel against Albania. Quansah was handed his international debut, Wharton made his first start at this level and the use of the defender as a part-time midfielder meant there was faint echo to Manchester City’s 2023 treble winners.

A Game of Two Halves

Bellingham had ups and downs. He created an opportunity for Eze during the second half but frequently appeared trying too hard. He made many hurried and errant passes. A pointless clash with an Albania midfielder early on. England were ragged during most of the second period. One Albania chance resulted from he lost the ball cheaply. His caution occurred when an opponent took the ball from Broja and brought down the attacker.

Squad Strength Shows

In the end England’s depth proved crucial. Tuchel introduced Phil Foden, who looked better suited to the position occupied by Bellingham earlier in the match, and the Arsenal winger. Later Saka whipped in a corner for Kane to break the deadlock. It highlighted that corners and free-kicks will be crucial in the upcoming tournament.

Relationship Not Broken

Still, though, all talk was about Bellingham. The brilliance of the winger's delivery for Kane's goal was a little lost amid the drama of the Rogers substitution. After the final whistle, everyone was watching him. The coach approached to his side and directed Bellingham towards the English fans. The bond between them is not broken. Tuchel is not willing to give up on the player just yet. Yet whether the coach is prepared to give him centre stage is still uncertain.