In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of self-doubt was understandable. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a first-choice selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed intact after Lee Carsley’s spell in the first half 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 Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership swept 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.
The manager selected Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the fixtures versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during his club’s memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “You know, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, who knows who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was what he typically does – remain completely in the moment, as balanced as he could be. Which would serve him well during a hectic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Not a soul would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that camp and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel over. The 25-year-old started in both and was particularly impressive in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main factors why the Football Association appointed him. “I think what the gaffer has achieved is show a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the chance, we aim to display what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most stunning show of support in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been rendered as a bit of a footnote.
That which should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, despite the former now being OK and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a coach builds a meritocracy, how he forges bonds. Tuchel admired the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this session – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has delivered. Past accolades will not sway him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped talented era squad was. The ability was not in question; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his first game.
“There’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has happened in the past or what is occurring in the campaign, you put that aside. You come here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the players that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the players themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent job at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the players to actually embrace that. I think each member has accepted that brilliantly because I love immensely being here and I am sure the others of the lads do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel wants versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the victories positive, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Can the side build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he says about not playing against Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the manager has opted for me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always support the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a waste of time. You only get so many days on this earth. I prefer to be excited and focused and assist the teammates that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
