In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was understandable. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a first-choice pick under the previous manager, and his status stayed secure following Lee Carsley’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Then came the new boss, and it is important to recall that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought another defender into the starting XI for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, also 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 his club’s memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the team’s going to look like, who knows who is going to play?”
The thing Guéhi then did was what he typically does – remain completely in the present, as balanced as possible. Which would serve him well during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Not a soul would have known about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel over. The 25-year-old was selected in both and was particularly impressive in the five-nil win over Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary reasons why the Football Association appointed him. “I think what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Faith is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most remarkable show of confidence in the players from the previous camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are fit have been retained – 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 Dynamics
His choice to omit 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 footnote.
What should not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot 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 fit and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a manager builds a meritocracy, how he forges bonds. Tuchel admired the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he sees an positive in the signal he has delivered. Past accolades will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Building a Strong Unit
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and divided their so-called talented era squad was. The talent was not in question; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.
“There isn’t any tension between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has happened in the before or whatever is going on in the season, you put that behind. You arrive here, these become your closest allies, your teammates, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the players themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent role at fostering an spirit. Additionally, it comes down to the players to actually buy into that. In my opinion every single person has accepted that superbly because I enjoy so much coming here and I know the others of the lads feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel wants against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the victories welcome, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Can the side continue the intensity they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he says about not playing against Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It means that the boss has opted for me for this chance and whether I’m starting or not I’ll always support the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a waste of time. You only get so many moments on this earth. I’d rather be excited and focused and help the people that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the finest that I can be rather than stressing.”
