Lewis Hall says he is a different player now to the one incoming England boss Thomas Tuchel handed a first-team debut to at Chelsea.
A 17-year-old Hall was given his first senior appearance by Tuchel in Chelsea’s FA Cup win over Chesterfield in 2022.
Hall, now 20 and playing at Newcastle, will soon be on Tuchel’s radar again following his call-up to the final set of games before the German takes over in January.
He does not know whether their previous link will stand him in good stead for when his former club boss starts and says he has now developed into a very different player.
What a journey for Lewis 👏 pic.twitter.com/VdWY5YV85m
— England (@England) November 12, 2024
Asked if Tuchel’s appointment could be good for him, the left-back said: “Potentially. I think I am a completely different player now.
“I think his thinking was, me being a midfielder back then knowing I was comfortable on the ball and knowing we would have a lot of possession, that was the thought behind it.
“I am not sure if that means anything now, especially as I feel my game is completely different now to how it was back then.
“He was a good person to me, he gave me my debut and I think without that, wouldn’t have given me the confidence I got when I was younger.
“So I’m grateful to him for that but right now I have just got to focus on the manager now, which is Lee Carsley, and I am really enjoying it.”
Hall has a chance to cement himself as the first choice in what has been a problem position for England over recent months.
Right-backs have almost exclusively filled in at left-back over the last few months.
Hall, who has started all 11 of Newcastle’s Premier League games this season, had a sense a call-up was coming.
“I think I had a bit of feeling purely because of the lack of out-and-out left-backs that there are in the squad,” he added.
“There are a few players who can play both sides, left and right, but I was just thinking, ‘If I am playing well for my club that is all I can do’, and then the decision is in the hands of the manager. Obviously I was delighted when he selected me.
“I am still really young, every single time I play for England, no matter what age group, I am really grateful. To be in this camp now is something I am truly grateful for.
“Luke Shaw is someone I watched a lot when he played for England and I really like a lot of things he does in his game and he is someone I can, not become because I want to be my own player, but take parts of his game to put into my game and one day I can play regularly for England.”
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