In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was understandable. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a key selection under the previous manager, and his standing stayed intact following the caretaker coach’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Then came the new boss, and it is worth remembering that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership swept another defender into the starting XI for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t promising.
The manager selected Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his next gathering in June, which took in the fixtures versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to almost question that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence from Albania. “You know, fresh coach arriving … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was what he typically does – stay completely in the present, as composed as possible. Which would serve him well during a hectic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Nobody would have known about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that camp and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel around. The 25-year-old started in each and was especially good in the 5-0 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 a primary factors why the FA hired him. “In my view what the manager has done is show a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the chance, we aim to display what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Central Idea
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 traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most remarkable show of support in the players from the last get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are available have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Choices and Team Unity
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a footnote.
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 late call-up in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A team. 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 squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a manager builds a meritocracy, how he forges bonds. Tuchel loved the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this session – and he believes in an positive in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and clique-ridden their so-called golden generation squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.
“There isn’t any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has gone on in the past or what is occurring in the season, you put that aside. You come here, these become your closest allies, your teammates, the guys that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent job at fostering an spirit. Additionally, it depends on the individuals to actually buy into that. In my opinion every single person has accepted that superbly because I love immensely coming here and I am sure the rest of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel wants against Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the wins positive, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the side continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a normal feeling,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always support the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You don’t have many days on this earth. I prefer to be positive and focused and help the teammates that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
