In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had excelled for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a key pick under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed intact following Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter the new boss, which is worth remembering that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership brought Dan Burn into the starting XI for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, also 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 historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for any footballer to almost question that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the squad’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 moment, as balanced as possible. Which would benefit him during a hectic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Not a soul would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that gathering and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel over. The 25-year-old started in both and was especially impressive in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary factors why the FA hired him. “I think what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we aim to display what we can do.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Faith is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the previous 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 not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
His decision to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been rendered as a bit of a afterthought.
That which should 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 cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, despite the former now being fit and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a coach creates a performance-based culture, how he forges bonds. Tuchel loved the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this session – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has sent. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped talented era team 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 “close-knit group” within the team before his initial match.
“There isn’t any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has gone on in the past or what is occurring in the season, you put that aside. You arrive here, these are your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the players themselves, the staff, have done a excellent job at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the individuals to actually embrace that. I think every single person has bought into that superbly because I love so much coming here and I know the others of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories welcome, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Can the team continue the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he states about not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It signifies that the boss has opted for me for this opportunity and if I’m starting or not I’ll always back the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a futile effort. You only get so many days on this earth. I prefer to be positive and concentrated and assist the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
