In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of self-doubt was understandable. The Crystal Palace defender had excelled for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his standing remained intact following Lee Carsley’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Then came the new boss, which is worth remembering that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look promising.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his second camp in June, which included the fixtures versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during his club’s memorable FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he typically does – stay completely in the present, 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 proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Not a soul would have known about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that camp and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel over. The 25-year-old was selected in each and was especially impressive in the five-nil win over Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main factors why the FA hired him. “I think what the gaffer has done is show a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we receive the opportunity, we want to show what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most stunning show of support in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was obliged to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been made as a something of a footnote.
That which should not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, although the former now being OK and in the group. However, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel loved the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this camp – and he sees an upside in the signal he has sent. Past accolades will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped talented era squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his first game.
“There isn’t any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has gone on in the before or what is going on in the season, you leave that aside. You come here, these are your best friends, your colleagues, the players that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have done a fantastic role at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the individuals to actually buy into that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I love so much being here and I am sure the others of the lads feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel expects versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories positive, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Will the team continue the intensity they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts go 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 signifies that the manager has chosen me for this chance and if I’m starting or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a waste of time. You don’t have many moments on this planet. I prefer to be positive and concentrated and help the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the finest that I can be rather than stressing.”
