For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had shone for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his standing remained secure after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Then came the new boss, which is important to recall that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look promising.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to pick 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 eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
What Guéhi did next was what he typically does – stay completely in the present, as balanced as he could be. Which would benefit him during a hectic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Not a soul would have known about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that camp and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel over. The 25-year-old started in each and was especially impressive in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary reasons why the FA hired him. “In my view what the manager has done is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we aim to show 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 going to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
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 not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a bit of a footnote.
That which must not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, although the former now being OK and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a coach creates a meritocracy, how he forges bonds. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he believes in an positive in the message he has sent. Past accolades will not influence him. Being a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their so-called talented era team was. The talent was not in question; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his initial match.
“There isn’t any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has happened in the past or what is going on in the campaign, you put that behind. You come here, these become your closest allies, your teammates, the players that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always great when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the players themselves, the staff, have done a fantastic job at fostering an spirit. Additionally, it comes down to the players to truly embrace that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that superbly because I love immensely coming here and I am sure the others of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel expects versus Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the victories welcome, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the team continue the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a normal human emotion,” he says about being benched 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 playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a waste of time. You don’t have many moments on this earth. I prefer to be positive and focused and help the teammates that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than stressing.”
