For Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of self-doubt was understandable. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a key pick under Gareth Southgate, and his standing remained intact after Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter the new boss, and it is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his second camp in June, which took in the matches versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence from Albania. “You know, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – stay firmly in the moment, as balanced as possible. This approach would benefit him during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Nobody would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel over. The young defender was selected in both and was especially good in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main reasons why the FA hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is demonstrate a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we do get the chance, we want to display what we can do.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most remarkable show of support in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so not 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.
The Manager’s Choices and Team Dynamics
His decision to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a afterthought.
That which should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, although the former now being fit and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the team behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this camp – and he believes in an upside in the message he has sent. Reputations will not influence him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Strong Unit
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped talented era team was. The ability was not in question; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his first game.
“There’s any tension between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the before or what is going on in the season, you put that aside. You come here, these are your best friends, your colleagues, the players that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently positive when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent role at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the individuals to actually buy into that. In my opinion every single person has accepted that superbly because I love so much coming here and I am sure the rest of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel wants versus Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the wins positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Will the team build on the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a natural human emotion,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It means that the boss has opted for me for this opportunity and if I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a waste of time. You don’t have many days on this earth. I’d rather be excited and concentrated and help the people that I can – or help myself – by being the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”
