For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had shone for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a first-choice selection under the previous manager, and his standing remained intact following the caretaker coach’s spell in the first half of last season.
Enter the new boss, and it is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look great.
The manager selected Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his second camp in June, which included the fixtures versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during his club’s historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for any footballer to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager arriving … who knows what the squad’s going to be, who knows who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was what he always does – remain firmly in the moment, as balanced as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported 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 been aware about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that camp and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old was selected in both and was particularly good in the five-nil win over Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main factors why the FA appointed him. “I think what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we receive the chance, we want to display what we can do.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Faith is the focus – 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 face 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 previous camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. 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 withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
His choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a footnote.
That which must not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A team. 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. Though, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a manager creates a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel loved the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into 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 Brotherhood
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his initial match.
“There’s any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has happened in the before or whatever is going on in the season, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the players that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is always great when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the players themselves, the staff, have done a excellent job at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the individuals to actually buy into that. In my opinion each member has accepted that brilliantly because I enjoy immensely coming here and I am sure the others of the lads feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel wants versus Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the victories welcome, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the side continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a natural human emotion,” he states about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It means that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and if I’m starting or not I’ll still support the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a futile effort. You don’t have many days on this earth. I’d rather 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 stressing.”
