In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of self-doubt was understandable. The Crystal Palace defender had shone for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a key selection under the previous manager, and his status remained intact following the caretaker coach’s tenure 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 Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership swept another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look great.
The manager started Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his second camp in June, which included the matches versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his omission 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 then did was what he typically does – remain firmly in the present, as composed as he could be. This approach would serve him well during a hectic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Not a soul would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that camp and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel around. The young defender started in each and was especially impressive in the 5-0 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 one of the main factors why the Football Association hired him. “I think what the manager has achieved is show a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we do get the opportunity, we aim to show 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 meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most remarkable show of support in the players from the previous camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are available 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 more minor one.
The Manager’s Choices and Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been made as a bit of a afterthought.
What should not be ignored – 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 spot 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 fit and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a coach builds a meritocracy, 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 essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Brotherhood
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and clique-ridden their so-called golden generation squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his first game.
“There isn’t any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has happened in the before or what is going on in the season, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these are your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently positive when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent role at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the individuals to truly buy into that. I think each member has bought into that superbly because I enjoy immensely coming here and I am sure the others of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects versus Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories welcome, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the side build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he states about being benched against Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It means that the manager has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m starting or not I’ll still support the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a futile effort. You only get so many moments on this earth. I’d rather be excited and concentrated and help the people that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
