In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of self-doubt was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a key selection under the previous manager, and his status stayed secure after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Then came the new boss, which is important to recall that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought another defender into the lineup for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.
The manager selected Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his next gathering in June, which included the matches against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for any footballer to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence against Albania. “You know, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to be, who knows who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was what he typically does – stay firmly in the moment, as balanced as possible. This approach would serve him well during a hectic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his planned move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Nobody would have known about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that camp and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel around. The young defender 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 knack of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary factors why the FA appointed him. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is show a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the chance, we want to display what we can do.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Faith is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and deeply 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 show of support in the players from the last camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Every one 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 forced to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Choices and Team Unity
His choice to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been made as a something of a footnote.
What should not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, although the latter now being fit and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a manager creates a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the team behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this session – and he sees an upside in the signal he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their so-called golden generation squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his first game.
“There isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the past or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you put that aside. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent role at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the players to actually embrace that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy so much coming here and I know the rest of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel wants against Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories welcome, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Can the team continue the intensity they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he states about being benched in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It signifies that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a waste of time. You only get so many days on this planet. I’d rather be positive and concentrated and help the people that I can – or improve personally – by being the best that I can be instead of worrying.”
