For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a key selection under the previous manager, and his standing stayed intact following the caretaker coach’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter the new boss, and it is worth remembering that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership brought another defender into the starting XI for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t great.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his second camp in June, which included the matches versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during his club’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for any footballer to practically question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his omission from Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager coming in … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was what he always does – stay completely in the present, as balanced as possible. This approach would serve him well during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed move to Liverpool.
The next 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 been aware about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that camp and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The young defender started in both and was especially good in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary reasons why the FA hired him. “In my view what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we do get the opportunity, we aim to display what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and deeply Christian. England face 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 shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most remarkable show of support in the players from the last camp, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so excluding 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.
The Manager’s Choices and Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been made as a something of a footnote.
That which must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace 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, although the latter now being OK and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a coach creates a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he believes in an positive in the signal he has sent. Reputations will not influence him. Being a good teammate will.
Building a Strong Unit
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and clique-ridden their so-called talented era squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his first game.
“There’s any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. No matter has gone on in the before or what is occurring in the season, you leave that behind. You arrive here, these are your closest allies, your colleagues, the players that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently positive when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have done a fantastic role at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the players to actually embrace that. I think every single person has accepted that superbly because I enjoy so much being here and I know the others of the players do, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel expects versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the wins positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Will the team build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a normal feeling,” he states about not playing against Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It means that the boss has chosen me for this chance and if I’m playing or not I’ll still support the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a waste of time. You don’t have 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.”
