In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark 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 status remained secure following Lee Carsley’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Then came the new boss, and it is worth remembering that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look promising.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the squad’s going to be, who knows who’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi then did was what he typically does – stay completely in the present, as balanced as possible. This approach would serve him well during a hectic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Nobody would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that gathering and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel over. The young defender started in each and was particularly impressive in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main 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 do get the opportunity, we aim to display what we can do.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Faith is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, 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 retained – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was obliged to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s choice to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit 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, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the former now being fit and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager creates a meritocracy, how he forges bonds. Tuchel admired the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this session – and he believes in an positive in the signal he has sent. Reputations will not influence him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Building a Strong Unit
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their so-called golden generation team was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his first game.
“There isn’t any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the before or whatever is going on in the campaign, you leave that behind. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your colleagues, the guys that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is consistently positive when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the squad themselves, the staff, have done a excellent role at creating an spirit. Then again, it comes down to the individuals to actually embrace that. I think each member has accepted that brilliantly because I enjoy so much coming here and I am sure the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel expects versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the side continue the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a normal human emotion,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It means that the boss has opted for me for this chance and if I’m starting or not I’ll always support the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many moments on this planet. I prefer to be positive and concentrated and help the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by being the finest that I can be instead of worrying.”
