For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of uncertainty was understandable. The Selhurst Park defender had excelled for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing remained secure following Lee Carsley’s spell in the first half of last season.
Enter the new boss, which is important to recall that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought another defender into the starting XI for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t promising.
The manager started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the matches against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to almost question that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager arriving … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to look like, who knows who is going to feature?”
What Guéhi did next was what he always does – remain firmly in the present, as composed as possible. Which would serve him well during a dramatic 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 matches 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 pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The young defender started in both and was especially good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association appointed him. “I think what the gaffer has done is demonstrate a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the chance, we want to show what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Faith is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most stunning show of confidence 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 retained – 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 Decisions and Team Unity
His decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated 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 afterthought.
That which 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 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 stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, despite the latter now being fit and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a manager builds a meritocracy, how he builds bonds. 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 that a debate? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this session – and he sees 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 opened up in an discussion with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped talented era team was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his first game.
“There’s any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. No matter has happened in the before or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you leave that behind. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your colleagues, the players that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the players themselves, the staff, have performed a fantastic job at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the individuals to actually buy into that. In my opinion each member has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy so much being here and I am sure the rest of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories welcome, 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 showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he says about not playing against Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It signifies that the manager has opted for me for this chance and if I’m playing or not I’ll still support the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a futile effort. You don’t have many days on this earth. I prefer to be excited and concentrated and help the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by being the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”
