In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his status remained secure after the caretaker coach’s spell in the first half of last season.
Enter the new boss, which is important to recall that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership swept another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.
The manager started Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the matches against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his absence against Albania. “You know, fresh coach arriving … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to play?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he typically does – stay firmly in the present, as composed as possible. Which would serve him well during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Nobody would have known about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that camp and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel around. The young defender was selected in each and was especially good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main factors why the Football Association hired him. “I think what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Faith is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most stunning demonstration of confidence in the players from the previous camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Team Unity
Tuchel’s decision to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been made as a bit of a footnote.
That which should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, although the latter now being OK and in the group. However, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager creates a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved the team behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this session – and he sees an upside in the signal he has sent. Past accolades will not sway him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Strong Unit
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and clique-ridden their much-hyped golden generation team was. The talent was not in question; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.
“There isn’t any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. No matter has happened in the past or whatever is occurring in the season, you leave that behind. You come here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the players that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently positive when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent job at fostering an spirit. Additionally, it depends on the individuals to actually embrace that. I think each member has bought into that superbly because I enjoy so much being here and I know the others of the lads do, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel wants versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the wins welcome, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the team build on the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he states about being benched in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It means that the manager has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You only get so many moments on this earth. I prefer to be excited and focused and assist the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the finest that I can be rather than stressing.”
