Gareth Southgate has told ESPN he believes Christian Pulisic has faced difficulties adapting to the Premier League but remains wary of the threat he poses as England have to face up with USA in World Cup 2022 in Qatar on November 25
Pulisic has suffered mixed fortunes in Chelsea since earning £58 million from Borussia Dortmund in 2019, scoring 26 goals in 131 games.
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The 24-year-old won the Champions League in 2021 under then-head coach Thomas Tuchel, but more than half of his appearances for Chelsea have come off the bench because of problems. persistent trauma problems.
In an exclusive interview with ESPN, Southgate said, “I obviously watched him [Pulisic] a fair bit at Dortmund as we had Jadon Sancho being there at the time and then moving to Chelsea, I think the adaptation from the Bundesliga to the Premier League was not an easy one to begin with.
“The level of the biggest games is similar if you are playing Bayern Munich or [Red Bull] Leipzig. European leagues, where there’s no such depth.
“So I think that needs some adjustment to not only the physical nature of our tournament but also the intensity of each match.
“Of course, he has two or three coaches to deal with, so I think there are moments where he looks like he’s on his way, he’s flowing and he’s got a coach. staff believed in him and he faced defeat because of injury.
“He will probably feel he hasn’t quite got to where he wants to be, I imagine, but he is a very good player and a player when you look at the opposing team’s table. It’s your man” had to be aware of and be ready for. “
Pulisic told ESPN in February that he put “too much pressure on himself” to “save” the USMNT.
Southgate said he believes the “Captain America” card that Pulisic lives with carries a level of scrutiny similar to the level some of England’s top stars have endured in 57 international caps and 76 games as the coach of his country.
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“I was lucky enough to live that life in a camp in England with [Paul] From the very beginning, Gascoigne, with David Beckham and perhaps Wayne Rooney… we have other really great players that you could argue have had a bigger impact on the team than some players. that player but their world is different,” Southgate said.
“They are the big box office, the big stories, the front and back pages of the big news stories, and that’s another motivator for a coach and also for the players themselves.
“In the end, of course, everything depends on playing well on the football pitch. But those big players live a different life, have different expectations around them. I think as a manager, you must always understand their world differently from everyone else’s.
“But other than that, can you help them deal with it? It’s pressure. It can’t be hidden. You’re on another level. That comes with great rewards, hype, and rewards. big marketing and sponsorship deals, but in the end, if you don’t show on the pitch, things hit those people harder.”
