For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had excelled for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his status remained secure after the caretaker coach’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Then came the new boss, and it is worth remembering that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought another defender into the lineup for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look promising.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his second camp in June, which took in the fixtures against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager coming in … who knows what the team’s going to look like, who knows who is going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – stay completely in the moment, as composed as he could be. Which would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Nobody would have known about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The young defender started in both and was especially impressive in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary reasons why the FA appointed him. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we receive the opportunity, we aim to display what we can do.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition 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 player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable show of support in the players from the previous camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Team Unity
His decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been rendered as a something 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 last-minute addition 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 kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the latter now being fit and in the group. However, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a manager builds a meritocracy, how he forges connections. Tuchel loved the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he sees an upside in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Strong Unit
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their so-called talented era squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his initial match.
“There’s any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the past or what is occurring in the campaign, you put that aside. You arrive here, these are your best friends, your teammates, the players that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is always positive when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have done a excellent job at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the players to truly buy into that. I think every single person has accepted that brilliantly because I enjoy so much coming here and I know the rest of the lads feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel expects versus Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the wins welcome, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Can the side build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he states about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It means that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and if I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a futile effort. You only get so many days on this earth. I prefer to be excited and concentrated and help the people that I can – or help myself – by being the finest that I can be instead of worrying.”
