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England head coach Thomas Tuchel has shared his unease after viewing a journalist’s photograph of the playing surface ahead of his team’s World Cup warm-up fixture against New Zealand. Despite his concerns, the German manager confirmed that the fresh pitch at Raymond James Stadium would not influence his previously planned squad selection.

Three Lions address pitch worries

England’s run-up to the World Cup has encountered a slight challenge after a report from the Daily Mail revealed that the Raymond James Stadium’s playing surface is a temporary ‘plug and play’ turf installed only a week ago.

The stadium, which typically uses an artificial surface, had to be switched to natural grass specifically for this fixture. Following the circulation of photographs showing uneven patches on the turf, the Football Association’s ground staff immediately coordinated with stadium authorities to assess and manage the situation.

Tuchel insists on personal inspection

Tuchel stated that he remains vigilant regarding logistical matters but intends to evaluate the stadium conditions personally before making any tactical adjustments. Speaking to reporters on Friday, he remarked, “I saw a photo from a journalist which made me a little bit worried and concerned, but let's decide when we are there.

“If there are any issues, we can always react to it. The plan is to play 45 minutes with two complete teams, giving everyone an equal share of game time. That way, we can maintain a consistent training load over the next three days. That is the plan, and for now, we are sticking to it.”

Squad depth on display in Florida

The Three Lions are currently missing several prominent Arsenal players — Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke, Declan Rice, and Bukayo Saka — who have been granted rest following their participation in the recent Champions League final.

Crystal Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson has seamlessly joined the camp after securing a European trophy, while a number of promising Premier League youngsters have been called up to strengthen the training sessions amid the humid conditions in West Palm Beach.

Despite concerns about the surface, Tuchel is working with a fully fit 27-man squad and has received confirmation from official sources that the pitch will ultimately meet acceptable playing standards.

Group L challenge ahead

England will wrap up their short stay in Florida after facing Costa Rica in another friendly on June 10. Following that, the team will move to their official World Cup training base in Kansas City to complete their final tactical preparations.

Their Group L campaign will begin with a high-profile encounter against Croatia in Dallas on June 17, before subsequent fixtures against Ghana and Panama round off their group stage commitments.