Thomas Tuchel calls for Ruben Loftus-Cheek to push himself more

Thomas Tuchel believes Ruben Loftus-Cheek does not know how good he is despite all he has going for him but says the last thing he should be thinking about right now is making England’s World Cup squad.

Tuchel was in candid and playful mood while discussing Loftus-Cheek and how he is not as confident as he might appear.

‘Self-confidence does not come from being big and tall and good looking,’ Tuchel joked.

Though the Chelsea head coach insists his levels of belief will only increase if he does not look too far ahead and focuses on building up himself and momentum game-by-game.

Midfielder Loftus-Cheek’s attributes have never been in doubt. ‘He has everything,’ Tuchel said.

‘He has everything it takes to play otherwise I would not count on him. But he has heard it for so many years. He has heard it too much.’

His attempt to display his talents on a regular basis at senior level for Chelsea, though, has not been straightforward with the 26 year-old’s progress disrupted by both serious and niggling injuries but also a lack of consistency in where he has been deployed by his various managers down the years.

The last week has brought the latest signs of encouragement with Tuchel saying ‘he was excellent Southampton and Madrid.’

Loftus-Cheek is now hoping to start three successive games for just the second time this season when Chelsea face his former loan club Crystal Palace in the FA Cup semi-final on Sunday.

Former Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain manager Tuchel said: ‘I don’t think he is fully aware of what he can produce, what he can physically give.

‘He is still in the situation where he accepts limits too early. He is used to that and this is where we are.

‘We will keep on pushing. And hopefully he can produce