In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Selhurst Park defender had excelled for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a key pick under Gareth Southgate, and his status stayed intact after Lee Carsley’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Then came the new boss, and it is worth remembering that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the new broom swept another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t promising.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his second camp in June, which took in the fixtures against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during his club’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his absence from Albania. “You know, new manager coming in … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, who knows who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – remain completely in the present, as composed as he could be. Which 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 against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Nobody would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel over. The 25-year-old was selected in each and was particularly good in the five-nil win over Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary reasons why the FA appointed him. “I think what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the opportunity, we want to display what we can do.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most stunning demonstration of support in the players from the last get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so excluding 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 Team Unity
Tuchel’s choice to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been made as a bit of a footnote.
What should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable 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 knee injury.
Here is how a manager creates a performance-based culture, how he forges bonds. Tuchel loved the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this session – and he believes in an positive in the message he has sent. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Building a Strong Unit
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and divided 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 get this right. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his initial match.
“There isn’t any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has happened in the before or what is occurring in the campaign, you put that aside. You arrive here, these are your closest allies, your teammates, the players that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the players themselves, the staff, have performed a fantastic role at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the players to truly embrace that. In my opinion each member has accepted that brilliantly because I love immensely being here and I am sure the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the victories welcome, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team continue the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a normal human emotion,” he says about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the manager has chosen me for this chance and if I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a waste of time. You only get so many days on this earth. I prefer to be excited and concentrated and assist the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the finest that I can be instead of worrying.”
