In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a first-choice selection under the previous manager, and his status stayed intact after the caretaker coach’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 sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership brought Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.
The manager selected Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his next gathering in June, which included the matches against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during his club’s memorable FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “You know, new manager coming in … it’s unclear what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he typically does – stay completely in the present, as balanced as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed move to Liverpool.
The next 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 internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that camp and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel over. The 25-year-old was selected in both and was particularly good in the five-nil win over Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association hired him. “In my view what the manager has done is demonstrate a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we do get the opportunity, we want to display what we can do.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust 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 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 stunning demonstration 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 available have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Choices and Team Unity
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a afterthought.
What should not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has supported 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 retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the latter now being OK and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he forges connections. Tuchel loved the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this session – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has sent. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and clique-ridden their so-called golden generation team was. The talent was not in question; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his initial match.
“There’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has happened in the before or what is going on in the season, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these are your best friends, your colleagues, the players that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently positive when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have done a excellent job at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the individuals to truly embrace that. I think every single person has accepted that brilliantly because I enjoy immensely being here and I am sure the others of the lads feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel wants versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the victories welcome, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the team build on the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It means that the boss has opted for me for this opportunity and whether I’m starting or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You don’t have many moments on this planet. I prefer to be positive and focused and help the people that I can – or improve personally – by being the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
