For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had shone for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his standing remained intact after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Then came the new boss, which is worth remembering that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership swept another defender into the starting XI for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t promising.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during his club’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the squad’s going to be, who knows who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he always does – remain completely in the present, as balanced as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Nobody would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel over. The young defender was selected in both and was particularly good in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary factors why the FA hired him. “I think what the gaffer has done is show a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we receive the opportunity, we want to show what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most stunning demonstration of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Unity
His decision to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been made as a bit of a footnote.
That which must 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, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the latter now being OK and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he forges bonds. Tuchel loved the unit supporting 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 essentially turned it into one for this session – and he sees an upside in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Being a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The ability was not in question; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set 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 explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. No matter has happened in the before or what is occurring in the season, you leave that behind. You come here, these are your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always great when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent job at fostering an spirit. Additionally, it comes down to the players to actually buy into that. In my opinion each member has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy immensely coming here and I am sure the others of the lads feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel wants against Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories welcome, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the team build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a normal feeling,” he says about not playing against Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It signifies that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always support the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a waste of time. You only get so many moments on this earth. I prefer to be excited and focused and assist the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by being the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”
