For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was understandable. The Selhurst Park defender had excelled for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under the previous manager, and his standing remained secure following the caretaker coach’s tenure 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 sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom swept another defender into the lineup for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t great.
The manager started Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his second camp in June, which took in the matches versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during his club’s memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for any footballer to practically question that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his omission from Albania. “You know, new manager arriving … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to be, it’s unknown who is going to play?”
What Guéhi did next was what he always does – stay firmly 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, blocked his planned move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Nobody would have known about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that camp and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel over. The young defender was selected in each and was particularly impressive in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main factors why the Football Association hired him. “In my view what the manager has done is show a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we aim to show 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 exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier 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 ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are available have been kept – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been rendered as a something of a afterthought.
What must not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the latter now being fit and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a coach creates a performance-based culture, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this camp – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has sent. Past accolades will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped golden generation team was. The ability was not in question; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his initial match.
“There’s any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has gone on in the past or whatever is occurring in the season, you put that behind. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your colleagues, the guys 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 performed a fantastic job at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the players to actually buy into that. I think every single person has accepted that superbly because I love so much coming here and I know the others of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the wins positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Will the side continue the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the manager has opted for me for this chance and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a waste of time. You don’t have many days on this planet. I prefer to be positive and concentrated and assist the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the finest that I can be rather than worrying.”
