Joe Hart has leapt to the defence of Jude Bellingham and Thomas Tuchel after a “naughty” question led to the England star publicly hitting back at his manager after their World Cup quarter-final triumph over Norway.
The pair’s relationship has once again been under the microscope after Tuchel said he was “not happy with the performance” of his players in their extra-time 2-1 win in Miami, comments which Bellingham did not take lying down.
Informed of the German’s remarks soon after the full-time whistle, an exhausted Bellingham told ITV: “Yeah, well, whatever,” and defended his team-mates’ display, which has sparked fresh talk of a rift between player and manager which Tuchel described as having “blown up”.
Hart, speaking ahead of England’s seismic semi-final clash with Argentina, took issue with the probing of Bellingham that led to this latest media storm surrounding the dressing room.
“If you were to go off what was being asked to Jude Bellingham, which was a bit naughty in my opinion, because it was only the negative of what Thomas said,” Hart said on BBC One.
“Of course, he’s going to react like that, because he felt like he was being attacked having done something special, and then everyone talks about it.
“But when you go back behind the closed doors, and Jude Bellingham realises what he [Tuchel] said on a whole, they’re having a laugh about it, I’m sure they are. Because I think Tuchel would expect him to react like that if that’s all he said.
“ I’m not telling anyone how to do their job, and everyone’s within their right to ask the question. I’m telling you as a player, if I’m emotional, I’m off the back of getting to a semi-final – which I haven’t done by the way – I would react like that.
“I think it’s naughty, but like I say, I’m not telling you how to do your job.”
