In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had excelled for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing remained secure following Lee Carsley’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Enter the new boss, which is important to recall that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership brought another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look promising.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his second camp in June, which included the matches versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during his club’s memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager arriving … who knows what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to play?”
What Guéhi did next was what he typically does – stay firmly in the present, as composed as possible. This approach would serve him well during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Nobody would have known about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel over. The young defender started in both and was particularly good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main factors why the FA hired him. “I think what the gaffer has achieved is demonstrate a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we receive the opportunity, we want to display what we can do.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Faith is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable demonstration of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are available have been kept – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Dynamics
Tuchel’s choice to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been made as a something of a footnote.
What should not be ignored – 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, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the latter now being OK and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager creates a performance-based culture, how he builds connections. Tuchel admired the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he believes in an positive in the signal he has sent. Past accolades will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped talented era team was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his first game.
“There isn’t any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has happened in the before or what is occurring in the campaign, you put that aside. You come here, these are your closest allies, your teammates, the guys that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently positive when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the squad themselves, the staff, have done a excellent job at creating an spirit. Additionally, it depends on the players to actually buy into that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that superbly because I enjoy so much being here and I know the others of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories welcome, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the side continue the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a natural feeling,” he states about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It means that the manager has opted for me for this chance and if I’m starting or not I’ll still support the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You only get so many moments on this earth. I’d rather be excited and concentrated and help the teammates that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be instead of worrying.”
