In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had excelled for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his status remained intact following Lee Carsley’s spell in the first half of last season.
Then came the new boss, which is worth remembering that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership swept another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t great.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to select 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 memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for any footballer to practically question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager arriving … who knows what the team’s going to be, who knows who is going to feature?”
What Guéhi then did was exactly what he typically does – stay completely in the moment, as balanced as he could be. Which would serve him well during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Nobody 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 time when he won Tuchel over. The 25-year-old 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 bringing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary factors why the Football Association appointed him. “I think 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 chance, we aim to show what we can do.”
Belief as the Theme
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 face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most stunning demonstration of confidence in the players from the previous camp, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are available have been retained – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Unity
Tuchel’s decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
What must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the former now being fit and in the group. However, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he forges bonds. Tuchel admired the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he believes in an positive in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating 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 egotistical and divided their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The ability was not in question; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his first game.
“There isn’t any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has gone on in the before or whatever is going on in the campaign, you leave that behind. You come here, these are your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always positive when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have done a fantastic job at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the individuals to truly embrace that. I think every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I love immensely coming here and I know the others of the lads feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel expects versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the wins positive, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Will the side build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he states about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It signifies that the boss has opted for me for this chance and whether I’m playing or not I’ll still support the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You only get so many moments on this earth. I prefer to be excited and focused and assist the teammates that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”
