For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was understandable. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a key pick under Gareth Southgate, and his standing remained secure following Lee Carsley’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Enter the new boss, which is important to recall that this was the manager 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 new broom swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t promising.
The manager selected Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his second camp in June, which took in the matches against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during his club’s historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to almost question that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his absence from Albania. “You know, fresh coach arriving … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he typically does – stay completely in the present, as balanced as possible. Which would serve him well during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Nobody would have been aware 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 earned Tuchel over. The young defender was selected in both and was particularly impressive in the five-nil win over Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main factors why the FA hired him. “I think what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most stunning demonstration of support in the players from the previous camp, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so not 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.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Unity
Tuchel’s decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been rendered as a something of a afterthought.
What must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has supported 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 side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the latter now being OK and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
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 aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this session – and he sees an positive in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped talented era team was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his initial match.
“There isn’t any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has happened in the before or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you put that aside. You arrive here, these are your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently positive when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent job at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the players to actually buy into that. In my opinion each member has accepted that brilliantly because I love immensely being here and I am sure the others of the lads do, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel wants versus Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the wins welcome, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Can the team continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he says about being benched against Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It signifies that the manager has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a futile effort. You only get so many moments on this earth. I’d rather be excited and focused and help the teammates that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than stressing.”
