Jude Bellingham's situation with England manager Thomas Tuchel has been exaggerated, according to Curtis Davies, a former Birmingham City player. The Real Madrid midfielder's role in the national team
has sparked much discussion lately. After recovering from a shoulder injury, Bellingham was initially left out of the October internationals by Tuchel but was later recalled for the World Cup qualifiers.
In the recent matches, Bellingham came off the bench against Serbia and started against Albania. However, his reaction to being substituted in the latter match led to Tuchel advising him to respect coaching decisions. Tuchel had previously criticised Bellingham's on-field behaviour, which fuelled rumours of tension between them.
Curtis Davies believes that media outlets have blown the situation out of proportion. "I think it's a storm in a teacup," he told Stats Perform. He suggested that because England has been performing well without any major failures, the media needed a story, and Bellingham became that story.
Davies explained that Bellingham had just returned from an injury and played only a couple of games before being left out of the squad. "Ultimately, I think it's all media talk," he added. He also noted that players often react emotionally when substituted because they are competitive by nature.
Creating #ThreeLions history 11 consecutive competitive winspic.twitter.com/uSS4AXFuOwEngland (@England) November 19, 2025
Davies also shared his thoughts on Aston Villa, where he played from 2007 to 2011. He praised head coach Unai Emery for his impact on the team, which currently sits sixth in the Premier League table ahead of their match against Leeds United this weekend.
"They've been able to be there or thereabouts [around the Champions League places] over the few seasons," Davies said. He commended Emery for doing an excellent job without relying on significant financial investments and noted that fans and players appreciate his intense style.
According to Davies, despite a challenging start to the season, Aston Villa is now showing improvement under Emery's guidance. The team's performances have become more enjoyable to watch as they continue to progress.
